There are two common locations in the mouth where a frenectomy is performed - under the tongue and underneath the center of the upper lip. A frenectomy is the removal of a frenum, a band of tissue found in various parts of the body. Sometimes a frenum can interfere with the development of the mouth. A frenum is attached too close to the tip of the tongue or too far down the gums between the front teeth.
A lingual frenectomy is a fairly common procedure for children who may be "tongue-tied". A tongue-tied child has difficulty extending the tongue towards the roof of the mouth or outside the mouth. In this procedure, the lingual frenum or the tissue under the tongue is removed allowing the tongue to be fully extended and fully mobile.
A labial frenectomy removes the frenum between the upper front teeth. It is commonly requested as a part of Orthodontic therapy. Most patients who would benefit from the procedure initially have a space between their upper front teeth before Orthodontic treatment. As the space closes, the frenum is removed to prevent the space from reopening after Orthodontic therapy is completed.
Both of these procedures are performed in our office utilizing our dental laser. The laser procedure requires a mild anesthetic but needs no sutures. Healing is usually very uneventful.