Q: My daughter has braces and for the past 6 months her gums have been swollen. The specialist told me that he has to cut her gums. Does this happen often with braces? Will it happen again? Is cutting and sealing her gums the only remedy?
A: It is not uncommon to have “swollen” gums during orthodontic treatment. Usually, proper oral hygiene can control this condition. However, if the gums become so inflamed that removal of inflamed gum tissue is necessary, we will use the laser and not cut the tissue. The healing is significantly faster and the post-operative experience is much easier for the patient.
