Kanishk Soni, Sumit Narang ,Kalpana Sadawarte

ABSTRACT

Background:Sutures used in periodontal flap surgery act as foreign bodies and may facilitate bacterial colonization, increasing the risk of surgical site infections (SSIs). The incorporation of antimicrobial agents such as triclosan into suture materials has been proposed to reduce microbial load and improve healing outcomes. Aim:To evaluate and compare the clinical and microbiological effectiveness of triclosan-coated resorbable sutures with non-coated resorbable sutures and conventional non-resorbable silk sutures in periodontal flap surgical procedures. Materials and Methods:A prospective, double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 45 patients aged 30–50 years with generalized chronic periodontitis requiring flap surgery. Participants were randomly allocated into three groups: Group A (triclosan-coated resorbable sutures), Group B (non-coated resorbable sutures), and Group C (non-resorbable silk sutures) (n = 15 each). Clinical parameters including Gingival Index (GI), Plaque Index (PI), Wound Healing Index (WHI), and Postoperative Pain Index (PPI) were recorded at baseline, 7, 15, and 30 days. Microbial colony counts (CFUs) were assessed on day 7 after suture removal. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA and Tukey’s post-hoc test. Results:Triclosan-coated resorbable sutures demonstrated significantly lower gingival inflammation and plaque accumulation at all postoperative intervals compared to the other groups (p < 0.001). Microbiological analysis revealed the lowest bacterial colony counts in the triclosan group (2.32 ± 0.15 ×10¹²) compared to non-coated resorbable (5.56 ± 0.16 ×10¹²) and silk sutures (5.75 ± 0.19 ×10¹²), indicating superior antimicrobial efficacy (p < 0.001). No statistically significant differences were observed among the groups for wound healing and postoperative pain scores. Conclusion:Triclosan-coated resorbable sutures exhibit superior clinical and microbiological performance by significantly reducing plaque accumulation, gingival inflammation, and bacterial colonization compared to non-coated resorbable and conventional silk sutures. These findings support their use in periodontal flap surgery to minimize infection risk and enhance postoperative outcomes.