Frenectomy
A frenum is a fold of tissue or muscle connecting the lips, cheek or tongue to the jawbone. Frenectomy is a term that refers to the removal of one of these folds of tissue.
Labial Frenectomy
Sometimes a frenum can be attached too tight on the gums and can become a significant problem if tension from lip movement pulls the gums away from the teeth. This can lead to diastemata (space between teeth); prevent teeth from coming in their correct position and eventually causing gum recession. It is also conducive to plaque accumulation and inhibits proper brushing of the teeth. Sometimes, feeding and proper speech developments become compromised. This abnormal attachment of muscle tissue from the upper lip to the upper jaw is often described as a ‘lip-tie’.
The procedure to remove/release the tight frenum from the upper jaw is called labial frenectomy.
Lingual frenectomy (Lower Arch)
Some children have a large frenum under their tongue that limits tongue movement. This can interfere with proper nursing/feeding, speech development and adequate cleansing action by the tongue. Older children or teenagers may notice that the frenum under their tongue becomes stuck between their front teeth or that they can’t stick their tongue out as far as their friends can. The condition of limited tongue mobility is often known as tongue-tie or ‘ankyloglossia’.
The procedure to remove this tissue under the tongue is a called lingual frenectomy.
Before recommending a frenectomy for a child, a pediatric dentist will assess several factors including the ability of the child to cooperate for the procedure along with various growth and development considerations and the likelihood for future revisions.
The use of lasers to perform frenectomy minimizes bleeding and post-operative pain (easily controlled with children’s over-the-counter pain relievers) and has virtually eliminated the need for sutures. The surgery itself takes very little time and can be performed in the dental office. In most cases the frenectomy takes about a week to heal. Rinsing with salt water helps keep the area clean and facilitates healing.
Please ask our doctors or any of our team members about how a laser frenectomy can improve your child’s smile and overall health.
