Tongue Frenum and the Frenectomy

The frenum is a muscle or a flap of the tissue that connects the tongue or the lips of the cheek to the jaw.

The frenectomy is performed to remove this flap of tissue.

Sometimes the frenum is attached too high up on the gums which can cause either spaces between the teeth or a recession.

This surgery to remove these flaps of tissue is known as labial frenectomy in which the tissue attachment between the two front teeth is removed because even after it has been originally corrected by means of a different procedure, the gap in between these teeth can once again be pushed apart by the frenum.

It is also possible that the frenum can be attached such that it will prevent baby teeth from coming through.

The lingual frenectomy is performed to remove the flap of tissue that is underneath the tongue. There are some people who have such a large frenum which may interfere with a person’s speech because it limits movement of the tongue.

This condition of mobility of the tongue that is limited tongue is known as being tongue tied or ankyloglossia. Usually, being tongue tied is diagnosed in early childhood and the symptoms include problems with a child’s speech up to a year and a half old and the interference in feeding infants.

Some teenagers or older children may experience that they can’t stick their tongue out as far as other people or that their frenum underneath their tongue may sometimes become wedged in between the patient’s front teeth.

Adults who get dentures may need the frenectomy if the position of the frenum, usually the one between the gum and cheek in the middle of the lower or upper lip or in the back of the mouth interferes with the correct fit of the denture.

A child a dentist will consider many factors that include the possibility that in time the condition will resolve itself without the need for surgery prior to recommending the frenectomy.

A child who is tongue tied first receives speech therapy to determine if that can correct the problem. Speech therapy involves special exercises designed to increase the mobility of the tongue.

In order to complete the frenectomy the surgeon will use either a laser or a scalpel. The laser results in less postoperative pain and reduces bleeding and the need for sutures. Sutures will be required after surgery when a scalpel is used.

Younger children may need to have general anesthesia for the operation because the patient who gets a laser frenectomy need to remain completely still during the operation.

In adults and older children, procedure is usually done under local anesthesia with or without nitrous oxide. The surgery itself is usually completed in about 10 or 15 minutes.

It may take several weeks for the frenectomy to completely heal. The patient should rinse with salt water to help to keep the area clean. They should also be very careful when they are flossing and brushing around the area.

The stitches may dissolve the patient may have to return to the dentist to have the stitches removed depending on the type of stitches that he dentist used.