2017 Volume 55 Issue 1 Pages 44-50
Elucidation of the morphology and morphological changes of the superior labial frenum is clinically significant for predicting changes and onset of abnormal attachment of the superior labial frenum, allowing early measures to prevent oral diseases caused by frenal abnormalities. In this study,we classified 174 healthy boys and girls aged 0 to 6 years who visited the pediatric dentistry of Tsurumi University Dental Hospital according to the morphology of the superior labial frenum and position of frenal attachment with reference to the classification criteria developed by Nosaka et al. (N-, I -, II-, III-, IV-, and V-type). The number of N-type (normal) frena was largest in both boys and girls. Other than N-type, the number of II-type was large in boys, whereas the numbers of I- and II-type were large in girls. Furthermore, the percentage of N-type frena as compared to the others types was high in both boys and girls, while the difference between genders was not significant. In all subjects,N-type showed the highest percentage (69.5%), followed by II-type (10.9%). When divided by age and frenal type, the number of 3-year-old subjects with N-type was significantly large as was that of 1-year-old subjects with an abnormal frenum. In contrast, the numbers of 3-year-olds with an abnormal frenum and 1-year-olds with N-type were significantly small. Craniofacial height was markedly increased in children aged 1 to 3 years. Maxillary alveolar process height is considered to increase with bone development, thus related movement of frenal attachment to a lower position may explain the present findings. In addition, the number of 1-year-old and 3-year-old subjects with normal frena was significantly small and large, respectively, indicating that a course of follow-up observations is the best optionforchildrenaged0to2yearsevenwhendiagnosed with abnormal frenal attachment or morphology, as long as no health-related problems, such as with breast feeding or eating, are present.
