A frenectomy is a simple surgical procedure involving the removal of one or two frena from the mouth. The frenum is a connective tissue that connects one tissue with the other found inside the lip and cheeks, inside the gums and mouth. There are two types of frenum present in the mouth: lingual frenum and labial frenum.

In children, a longer lingual frenum may make it difficult for them to feed properly from a bottle. Anyone who has this condition is referred to being “tongue-tied”. If left untreated, infants may find it difficult to communicate with their peers. In severe cases, a child may also experience discomfort and difficulty when swallowing. This is where a frenectomy comes in handy as it can be performed quickly and with minimal pain, if it is carried out in the first few weeks following birth.

Importance of Frenectomy

Frenectomy is a simple procedure that improves a person’s quality of life by correcting the following possible problems:

• Feeding difficulties may hamper a person’s health, especially infants. In older adults, problems may revolve around chewing and swallowing.
• An elongated frenum may lead to speech difficulties, which may affect social life and/or harm self-esteem, especially in children.
• Saliva management may also become difficult during eating and or speech.
• Moving the tongue forward in the mouth may become difficult due to the presence of frenum scraping against the central lower incisors.
• Tooth decay and cavities may become more common in individuals with an elongated frenum due to the lack of ability to clean mandibular dentition and maxillary to remove food particles.

If you are thinking about a frenectomy for your child, it is best that you consult your dentist at a dentistry for children, who will weigh different factors and help you make the best decision for your child.