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Frenectomy
Frenectomy
Freneums are intraoral fibrous bands of tissue that connect cheek tissue to gum tissue around the teeth. Unfortunately, frenums can be fixated incorrectly and cause restricted movement and poor function. The most common problem is a high lingual frenum, commonly known as a tongue-tie. This is often address in infants, although at times it is corrected later in life. In orthodontics we are primarily concerned with maxillary anterior frenum. When this tissue connects too low and wraps to the roof of the mouth, it causes a space between the upper front teeth, or a diastema. We can close the space orthodontically, but without correcting the low frenum, the space will return. We use the soft-tissue diode laser to perform a maxillary frenectomy. We like the laser for this procedure because there is typically no bleeding and no need for stiches. This procedure may also improve the gum contours around the incisors, improving the esthetics of a patient’s smile.
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