The muscles of the cheeks and lips are attached to the gums and tissue of the mouth by a piece of soft tissue called a frenum. Sometimes a frenum can be attached too high on the gums causing either recession or spaces between teeth.In addition, there is another frenum under the tongue. If this frenum is attached too close to the end of the tongue it can adversely affect swallowing and speech. This is referred to as being tongue-tied
What is Frenectomy
A Frenectomy is a simple procedure where either part or all of the frenum in question is removed in order to return a healthy balance to the mouth.
Sometimes a frenum can be attached too high on the gums causing either recession or spaces between teeth. The procedure to remove this is called labial frenectomy and involves the removal of tissue attachment between the two front teeth as the gap between the teeth can again pushed apart by the frenum, even after it being initially corrected via a different procedure.
The frenum can be attached in such a way that it prevents the baby teeth from coming through.
A lingual frenectomy removes the fold of tissue under the tongue. Some people have a large frenum that limits tongue movement and can interfere with speech.
Some older children or teenagers may notice that the frenum under their tongue becomes stuck between their front teeth, or that they can't stick their tongue out as far as their friends can..
Intraoral photographs ofprominent maxillary labial frenum.
A prominent frenum in young children is of concern for Parents, Pedodontists because of its appearance and because it may be associated with a diastema between the central incisors. Though midline diastema may be normal in deciduous dentition or in permanent dentition before the eruption of the canine teeth.
When a labial frenum is indeed contributing factor of the diastema, the band usually crosses the alveolus and inserts into the incisive papilla. When the lip is stretched the papilla blenches.