Comparison of electrosurgery with conventional fiberotomies on rotational relapse and gingival tissue in the dog

The relapse tendency of orthodontically rotated teeth after electrosurgical circumferential fiberotomies and after conventional scalpel blade surgical procedures was demonstrated with a split-mouth procedure involving the maxillary second incisors of five mongrel dogs. The second incisors were rotated orthodontically an average of 63.5° over a 4-month period. Electrosurgical circumferential fiberotomies were performed on the designated second incisors, and circumferential fiberotomies with a scalpel blade were performed on the contralateral incisors. The teeth were retained for 1 month and relapse was measured 2 months postretention. Wound healing was demonstrated by measurement of sulcus depths and facial gingival recession preoperatively and at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 9 weeks after surgery. In both groups, the sulcus depths had decreased about 2 mm and the facial gingiva had receded 0.3 mm 9 weeks after surgery. Two months postretention there was an average 25% relapse in the teeth treated by means of a circumferential fiberotomy with a scalpel blade compared to an average 23% relapse in those treated by means of a circumferential fiberotomy with electrosurgery. No significant difference was seen between the two techniques.