Effects of prolonged immersion in artificial saliva on mechanical properties of indonesian made silk sutures: An in vitro study

Authors

Kosterman Usri, Dental Materials and Technology Department, Faculty of Dentistry, University of PadjadjaranFollow
Gema Gempita, Department of Dental Material Science and Technology, Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Padjadjaran, IndonesiaFollow
Elvin Sepryan, Undergraduate Dentistry Program, Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Padjadjaran, IndonesiaFollow
Merry A. Damayanti, Department of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Padjadjaran, IndonesiaFollow
Renny Febrida, Department of Dental Material Science and Technology, Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Padjadjaran, IndonesiaFollow
Nina Djustiana, Department of Dental Material Science and Technology, Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Padjadjaran, IndonesiaFollow

Abstract

Background: Surgical sutures play a critical role in wound healing, especially in dental applications where the oral environment presents unique challenges such as high vascularization and constant exposure to saliva. While Indonesian-made silk sutures offer an affordable alternative to imported options, their mechanical performance under simulated oral conditions remains underexplored. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the mechanical properties of Indonesian-made silk sutures after immersion in artificial saliva for varying durations (0, 1, 7, and 14 days). Methods: An in vitro experimental study was conducted using 20 sterile silk suture specimens (4-0 gauge). Five specimens were tested in their dry state (control), while the remaining specimens were immersed in artificial saliva for 1, 7, and 14 days at 37°C. Tensile load, tensile strength, and elongation were assessed using a Universal Testing Machine. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test. Results: Prolonged immersion significantly impacted the sutures' mechanical properties. Tensile load and tensile strength decreased progressively, with the lowest values observed on Day 7 (7.23 ± 0.99 N and 409.46 ± 55.77 MPa, respectively). Conversely, elongation (%) increased significantly, peaking on Day 14 (45.08 ± 4.53%). Conclusion: Indonesian-made silk sutures exhibit reduced tensile strength and load but increased elongation with prolonged exposure to artificial saliva. The sutures meet the minimum tensile strength requirements of the Indonesian National Standard (SNI), however their performance under prolonged immersion need improvement, Further research should focus on improving their resistance to degradation and performance in the oral environment.

Keywords: mechanical properties, tensile, elongation, saliva, Indonesia silk suture.

Recommended Citation

Usri, Kosterman; Gempita, Gema; Sepryan, Elvin; Damayanti, Merry A.; Febrida, Renny; and Djustiana, Nina (2025) "Effects of prolonged immersion in artificial saliva on mechanical properties of indonesian made silk sutures: An in vitro study," Journal of Dentomaxillofacial Science: Vol. 10: Iss. 4, Article 15.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15562/jdmfs.v10i4.1930
Available at: https://scholarhub.unhas.ac.id/jdmfs/vol10/iss4/15

Pages

179-182

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Rights

©2025Kosterman Usri, Gema Gempita, Elvin Sepryan, Merry A. Damayanti, Renny Febrida, Nina Djustiana

DOI

10.15562/jdmfs.v10i4.1930