What is a Frenectomy and Why Might You Need One?
A frenum is a muscular attachment between two tissues and a frenectomy is the removal of a frenum in the mouth. The frena (the plural form of frenum) connecting the tongue to the floor of the mouth, called the lingual frenum; then there are the maxillary labial frenum, which connects the inside of your upper lip to your gums just above your upper two front teeth, also the mandibular labial frena in the the labial of the lower lip to your gums below your lower front teeth. Frena in the mouth can sometimes obstruct normal function and are needed for frenectomy.
Sometimes, the lingual frenum can run all the way to the tip of the tongue, causing a person to be “tongue-tied” , which is called ankyloglossia. Then a frenectomy may be the only choice to give the child normal tongue function.
A labial frenum can cause a large gap to occur between the two front teeth, or cause recession of gums. Labial frenectomy is very commonly used with patients undergoing denture treatment in order to get the proper fit of dentures, or patients who has tissues attached to center of the upper lip and causing recession pf gums or gap between the front teeth.
Frenectomy can be safely and efficiently released with the waterlase or diode laser, which has less trauma, reduced scarring or fibrosis in comparison with scalpel incision.