10.frenectomy article - Copy

Background: A frenum that encroaches on the margin of the gingiva may interfere with plaque removal and cause tension. Frenectomy is the complete removal of the frenum that can be made by scalpels or with soft tissue lasers. The aim of this article was to compare the degree of postoperative pain, such as discomfort and functional complications (eating and speech), experienced by pat ients af ter two frenectomy operation techniques. Methods: Sixteen patients requiring frenectomy were randomly assigned to have treatment either with a conventional technique or with a diode laser. The postoperat ive pain and funct ional complication ratings of each patient were recorded using a visual analogue scale on days 1 and 7. Results: The results indicated patients treated with the diode laser had less postoperative pain and fewer functional complications (P <0.0001 each) and required fewer analgesics (P <0.001) compared to patients treated with the conventional scalpel technique. Conclusions: This clinical study indicates that diode laser treatment used for frenectomy operations provides better patient perception in terms of postoperative pain and function than that obtained by the 38 Vol1, Issue 1, Jan Apr 2014