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Dentistry vocabulary · Extractions, Oral Surgery and Anesthesia

Suture

Meaning in dentistry, with examples

/ˈsuːtʃər/nounCommon term

In dentistry, suture means: A stitch used to close a wound or hold gum tissue in place after surgery. Dissolvable sutures disappear by themselves; others are removed after about a week.

In Turkish: dikiş, sütür

How it is used

Also a verb: suture the flap. Dentists place sutures and talk about resorbable (dissolvable) and non-resorbable sutures; patients say stitches. Removal is often booked as a separate suture removal appointment.

Example sentences

  1. I've put in two dissolvable sutures, so you won't need to come back to have them removed.

  2. The sutures will be removed in seven to ten days.

Common collocations

  • place sutures
  • dissolvable sutures
  • suture removal
  • remove the sutures
  • extractionThe removal of a tooth from its socket in the bone. A simple one uses forceps and elevators; a surgical one may need a cut in the gum or removal of some bone.
  • post-operative instructionsThe information a patient is given after an extraction or surgery about bleeding, pain, eating, cleaning and warning signs, often on a printed sheet.
  • dental implantA small screw, usually made of titanium, placed in the jawbone to replace the root of a missing tooth. Once it has fused with the bone, it supports a crown, bridge or denture.
  • forcepsA plier-like instrument used to grip a tooth and remove it from its socket. Different designs are made for upper and lower teeth and for each type of tooth.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Extractions, Oral Surgery and Anesthesia

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.