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What is the term for an enlarged or thickened labial frenum that may lead to diastema?

  1. Abnormal labial frenum

  2. Macroglossia

  3. Ankyloglossia

  4. Hypertrophy

The correct answer is: Abnormal labial frenum

An enlarged or thickened labial frenum that can lead to the development of a diastema is referred to as an abnormal labial frenum. The labial frenum is a piece of tissue that connects the inside of the lip to the gums, and when it is thickened or abnormally positioned, it can cause spacing between the teeth. This condition often affects the alignment of teeth and may require corrective intervention to prevent or treat the diastema, which is the gap between two teeth. In contrast, macroglossia refers to an abnormally large tongue, which does not specifically relate to the labial frenum or its effects on tooth spacing. Ankyloglossia, commonly known as tongue-tie, describes the condition where the tongue is tethered to the floor of the mouth by a short frenulum, which again is unrelated to the labial frenum itself. Hypertrophy generally denotes an increase in size of an organ or tissue through the enlargement of its cells but does not specifically address the labial frenum in the context of causing a diastema. Understanding these specific definitions helps clarify why 'abnormal labial frenum' is the most accurate term in this context.