Comparative Analysis of Methods for Surgical Treatment of Ankyloglossia: A Review Article

Abstract

Aim: Ankyloglossia is a congenital oral anomaly characterized by a short frenulum of the tongue, which can cause nutritional, speech, and developmental problems. The limited movement of the tongue may lead to the development of various anomalies of dentition. Thus, the purpose of this work is to compare the existing methods for surgical treatment of ankyloglossia that involve either laser technologies or scalpels. Methods: We analyzed literature sources about patients with ankyloglossia treated with various surgical methods, such as the use of a scalpel, diode laser, CO2 laser, Er:YAG laser and Nd:YAG laser. Results: The results showed that lasers have multiple advantages over the scalpel: bloodless surgery, which provides good visualization of the surgery field; no need for suturing; the reduction of inflammation and pain in the postoperative period due to the bactericidal properties of the laser; minimal or no scar tissue; decreased surgery time. Conclusion: Thus, the laser technique is an alternative to conventional surgery, and, considering the upper mentioned benefits, it can be stated that the laser beam is more effective than a scalpel or scissors.