Diastema size and type of upper lip midline frenulum attachment

Background: Diastema is a space between teeth. The most often is maxillary midline diastema between upper central incisors. One of the main causes of diastema is enlarged upper lip frenulum attachment. The aim of the study was to assess frenulum attachment in patients with diastema and investigate if type of upper lip frenulum attachment has an impact on the width of diastema. Materials and methods: Upper lip frenulum attachment was assessed clinically in two groups of adult patients: study group with diastema and control group without diastema. Moreover the width of diastema was measured on plaster models of dentition. The results were statistically analysed. Results: In study material the most often was diastema in range more than 2 mm. There were statistically significant differences between study and control group in upper lip frenulum attachment (p 2 mm). Conclusions: Patients with diastema have more often oversized upper lip frenulum attachment then patients without diastema. The most often type of frenulum in patients with diastema is papillary and papilla penetrating type. Type of upper lip frenulum attachment has an impact to the size of diastema.