Frenectomy

A frenum, which appears between either the upper or lower set of front teeth, connects the inner lip with the gum line. It is a naturally occurring muscle attachment, and without sufficient attached gingiva, recession can occur. Similarly, a frenum that is excessively large can hinder teeth from aligning, causing a gap to form between the front teeth. In the event that pulling occurs, or if the frenum is too large, a frenectomy is used to surgically remove the frenum.

In conjunction with orthodontic treatment, removing an abnormal frenum allows for an increase in stability and will improve the final result of the orthodontic treatment.