Orthodontic Procedures

Frenectomy

The frenum is a naturally occurring muscle attachment normally seen between the front teeth (either upper or lower). It connects the inner aspect of the lip with the gum. A lack of attached gum tissue, in conjunction with an unfavorable frenum attachment that exaggerates the pull on the gum margin, can result in recession. Additionally, an excessively large frenum can prevent the teeth from coming together resulting in a gap between the front teeth. If the frenum is pulling  or too large to allow the teeth to come together, Dr. Bloch will surgicallly release the frenum from the gum with a frenectomy.

Fiberotomy

There are fibers in the gum tissue which connect the tooth to the surrounding bone. Dr. Bloch will perform a fiberotomy to detach these fibers once teeth are orthodontically repositioned. This procedure is typically done upon the request of your orthodontist near the completion of the orthodontics and is shown to be effective in preventing the relapse of teeth.

Orthodontic Tooth Exposure

At times the eruption of certain teeth, particularly the upper “eye teeth," is delayed. This may interfere with the timing or effectiveness of orthodontic treatment. Your orthodontist may request exposure of the unerupted tooth to allow bracket placement to assist in the completion of treatment.