title: Lingual frenectomy: a comparison between the conventional surgical and laser procedure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ankyloglossia, commonly known as tongue-tie, is a congenital oral anomaly characterized by a short lingual frenulum that may contribute to feeding, speech and mechanical problems. The purpose of this study is to compare the advantages of laser vis-à-vis conventional frenectomy in both intra- and post-surgical phases.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study took into consideration two patients, who were respectively 9 and 10-year-old. The first one underwent a common surgical procedure. A Nd:Yap laser device with a micropulsed wavelength of 1340 nm and power of 8 watts was used for the second. The postsurgical discomfort and healing characteristics were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicated that the Nd:Yap laser has the following advantages when compared to the conventional frenectomy: 1) soft tissue cutting was efficient, with no bleeding, giving a clear operative field; 2) there was no need to use sutures; 3) the surgery was less time-consuming; 4) there was no postsurgical infection and no need for analgesics or antibiotics; 5) wound contraction and scarring were decreased or eliminated; 6) despite the initial slowness of the healing process, the complete and final recovery was faster.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considering the above elements, it is possible to assert that the laser frenectomy has a series of unquestionable advantages if compared to the conventional surgical technique.
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Dental School, University of Verona, Verona, Italy - daniele.desantis@univr.it.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Santis
authors.affiliation: Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Policlinico G. B. Rossi, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gerosa
authors.affiliation: Private Practitioner, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Graziani
authors.affiliation: Private Practitioner, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zanotti
authors.affiliation: Private Practitioner, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rossini
authors.affiliation: Private Practitioner, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Castellani
authors.affiliation: Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria, Ospedale di Udine, Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bissolotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Main Section of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chiarini
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Dental School, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Nocini
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Dental School, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bertossi