Comparison of Effects of the Interrupted and Vertical Mattress Sutures on Pain, Swelling, and Probing Depth Following Extraction of Impacted Mandibular Third Molars: A Split-Mouth Randomized Clinical Trial.

Introduction: Complications following dental extraction include the development of a dry socket, pain, swelling, infection, trismus, pocket formation in the adjacent teeth, or absence of healing. The material and technique used for suturing vastly influence the success or failure of a suture. The present study aimed to evaluate and compare the postoperative pain, swelling, and distal probing depth of the mandibular second molar following the placement of interrupted suture (IS) and vertical mattress suture (VMS) after extraction of impacted third molars. Material and Methods: The present split-mouth randomized controlled trial was conducted on 100 patients requiring surgical extraction of bilateral impacted mandibular third molars. The extraction socket was closed by IS on one side and VMS on the other. The pain and swelling scores were obtained by the visual analog scale during the first-week post-extraction. The probing depth distal to the mandibular second molars was taken at 2-month intervals until 6 months post-extraction. Results: Inter-group comparison revealed significantly lower values ( Conclusion: While IS can be considered a simple-to-execute suturing technique with less operative pain initially, the VMS was found to be better in the long run in its ability to reduce the detrimental effects on the periodontium of the adjacent tooth.