TREATMENT OF HEAVY BUCCAL FRENUM USING FRENOTOMY AND AUTOGENOUS FREE GINGIVAL GRAFT IN CHILDREN : A CASE REPORT

소아에서 소대절개술 및 자가유리치은이식술을 이용한 거대협소대의 치료증례

The mandibular buccal frenum is a fold of mucous membrane at the posterior labial vestibule, that attaches the lips and the cheeks to the alveolar mucosa, gingiva, and underlying periosteum. The buccal frenum becomes a problem if its attachment is too close to the marginal gingiva. It may then pull on healthy gingiva, encourge plaque formation and interfere with tooth brushing. Heavy buccal frenum mucogingivally results in insufficient attached gingiva, inadequate vestibular depth and high frenum attachment and also difficulty in eruption of mandibular second premolar. Frenectomy in various forms has been used for many years to remove the influence of the frenum. Unfortunately, the results are not always ideal and there is often postoperative relapse because of muscle pull. In this treatment, frenotomy was used in conjuction with autogenous free gingival graft with the object of removing the influence of the buccal frenum and creating an adequate and stable width of attached gingiva. We observed decrease in muscle pull, adequate width of attached gingiva and increased vestibular depth in addition to progressive eruption of second premolar. Periodic follow-up is needed for evaluation of relapse, grafting gingiva and also space regaining for second premolar.