Frenectomy

Have you ever heard of a frenulum? Many people have never heard of this important piece of tissue that performs the function of holding an organ in its proper place. For example, this tissue known as the frenulum is what connects your gums and upper lip as well as the lower lip to the gums inside the mouth. The same tissue it also found underneath the tongue. If this tissue is malformed, too thick or too short, all sorts of problems ensue. Babies who are born with a malformed frenulum will struggle with breastfeeding. Malformed frenulum tissue also contributes to misalignment of teeth and speech difficulty. When this condition happens a frenectomy will be in order.

What is a frenectomy? It is a minor surgery that is quickly and easily completed right in the dentist office. With modern dental technology this process can be completed in just a few short minutes using either laser or scalpel. The benefit of the laser is that there will be less bleeding with no stitches needed for the healing process. It is amazing how well the laser frenectomy will heal with very little follow up discomfort, which is always a plus. If this minor surgical procedure needs to be performed on someone who is very young such as a toddler or even an infant, the dentist will use a general anesthesia to put him or her to sleep during the experience. Adults would only need a local anesthetic. If this is something that needs to be done there is no need to worry, it is a relatively painless, quick process with very little discomfort and great benefit to the patient.