Answer
Ensure that tetanus status is up to date. [17]
Antibiotic ointment or petroleum jelly may be placed daily over the skin surface of the laceration. [18] This should be avoided with absorbable sutures, however, as it may inappropriately hasten absorption.
Cold packs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or acetaminophen may help with pain control.
If the laceration involves the oral mucosa, consider recommending a bland diet to avoid irritating the wound.
For intraoral wounds, especially if left unclosed, consider discharging the patient with a syringe and saline. It may be helpful for them to gently irrigate the wounds after eating to keep them clean of debris.
Remove nonabsorbable sutures that are visible on the external tissue in 4-5 days to prevent scarring.
Remind patients not to allow themselves to manipulate the sutures with their tongue.
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Equipment for the anesthesia, irrigation, and closure of a lip laceration.
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Lip laceration involving the lower vermilion border.
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Identification of intraoral skin laceration.
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Lip laceration involving the upper vermilion border.
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Deep intraoral lip laceration that needs repair.
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Technique for extraoral infraorbital nerve block.
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Intraoral approach for infraorbital nerve block.
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Placement of the first suture through the vermilion border.
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Assessing for mobile or broken teeth.
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Further inspection of the anesthetized wound reveals a through-and-through laceration.
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Extraoral approach to close the deep layer.
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Wound approximation after 2 deep sutures are placed.
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First suture aligning the vermilion border.
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Placement of intraoral skin suture with buried knot.
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Closure of an intraoral skin laceration.
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Closure of an intraoral laceration.
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Intraoral approach to close the deep layer.
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Wound approximation after placement of deep muscular sutures.
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Placement of the first suture through the vermilion border.
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Placement of the first suture through the vermilion border.
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Complete closure of the facial skin.
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Complete closure of the facial skin.
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Illustration of the upper and lower vermilion border.
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Areas of regional nerve blocks for the lips.