What is a fiberotomy?

A fiberotomy is a minor procedure to release some of the gum fibers around your tooth after it has been moved by an orthodontist. When a tooth is rotated into proper position, it stretches some of the gum fibers attached to it. When the braces are removed, these fibers contract and pull the tooth back into the position it held before the braces. A fiberotomy makes a small, nonvisible incision between the tooth and gum so the tension in these fibers is released and the gum can reattach to the tooth in the new position with no tension. This significantly reduces the chance the tooth will begin to rotate back to where it was before the orthodontic treatment.

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