Frenulectomy of lingual and labial frenulum in paediatric dentistry: comparison between traditional surgical technique and laser technique

Aim: Lingual and labial frenums, superior and inferior, are subject to variations of shape, thickness and position that frequently requires a surgical treatment. An anomalous insertion of the frenum could occour in periodontal diseases, associated speech problems, diastema, ankyloglossia, a high incidence in caries development specially in the posterior teeth and malocclusions. The purpose of the present study was to compare laser and traditional surgery technique, in lingual and labial frenectomies in young patients and estimate the real clinical benefits during and after the execution of the surgical treatments. Materials And Methods: A total of 22 patients (8 male, 14 females; mean age 11 years range 8-15 years) were enrolled for this study. The inclusion criteria were anatomic and functional anomalies of labial and lingual frenum. The 22 patients were randomly assigned in two groups. Group A was composed of 10 patients and Group B was composed of 12 patients. Patients of Group A were treated with labial or lingual frenectomy using traditional surgical technique. Patients of Group B were treated with a diode laser (Laser DM 980 S, D.M.T, Lissone Milano, Italy). Discussions: The present study confirmed that the employment of the laser technique in the frenectomies in pediatric patients, presents more advantages respect to the traditional surgical techniques. The use of laser in frenectomies results mainly accepted from the patients because this technique is minimally invasive, of short duration, causes less bleeding, do not demand the application of suture anchor and the use of anesthesia and favor an aseptic operating field. Moreover, the laser technique offers the possibility of reoperation,. The clinical follow up after one week shows a good healing process with organization of fibrine; this phase ends after two weeks and, after a month, the healing appears completed . Conclusions: The laser technique represents a valid alternative to the traditional technique, in pediatric dentistry, although does not replace it completely. The validity of the traditional technique has been demonstrated, even though laser technique limits the operative and postoperative inconveniences. Moreover this technique offers at pediatric dentists one more possibility of treatment and becomes essential in order to guarantee a correct approach to the various typologies of patients.