Frenectomy

 

What is a Frenectomy?

 

A frenum is a fold of tissue that adjoins the lips, tongue, and cheeks, to the jawbone. Frenectomy involves the removal of one of the folds of tissue.

 

There are many frenae in the mouth, such as the strand along the middle base of your tongue, or on the middle inside of your upper or lower lip. An overly short frenum below the tongue restricts tongue movement and affects speech. Shortened frenae on the inside of the lips pull on the gum tissue. This can cause the gum to recede away from the teeth or gaps between the teeth to develop.

 

Frenectomies are safe, simple procedures that dramatically improve comfort and freedom of motion in your mouth. A frenectomy is sometimes needed for dentures to fit properly, or to maintain the results of some orthodontic treatments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Post-operative care instructions:

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A frenectomy can take several weeks to heal completely. Rinsing with salt water helps keep the area clean. Brush and floss carefully around the area. Depending on the type of stitches your dentist uses you may need to return to the dentist to have your stitches removed or they may dissolve on their own.

 

What are the risks involved in a frenectomy?

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If the operation does not solve the problem then it has to be done all over again. Redoing a lingual frenectomy is fairly common. Any surgery will carry a risk of bleeding. There are several blood vessels in your tongue so you are more likely to have excessive and prolonged bleeding. Excessive and prolonged bleeding isn’t a very common complication.

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Adults who are getting a frenectomy in their lower jaw so that their dentures will fit properly will risk bruising the nerves that cause sensation in the chin and in the lower lip. This may cause numbness in the area and can last for several months. Your lip will not droop and the nerves will not affect the movement, only the sensation is affected.

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After a frenectomy, you should contact your dentist if you continue to experience bleeding or numbness in the area for more than a day. If you are having trouble moving your tongue freely after a month then you should contact your dentist. In some cases, you may have to wait longer to heal completely.