A frenectomy also called a frenulectomy, is a type of oral surgery used to treat lip-tie or tongue-tie. During the procedure, your doctor will cut or change a band of connective tissue called a frenum or frenulum. This band connects two parts of your body. In your mouth, frenum can connect your lips to your gums or your tongue to the floor of your mouth.
There is more than one frenum in your mouth. Usually, they don’t cause any problems. But if a frenum is too short or tight, it can cause problems with oral health and make it hard to talk.
Do Adults Get Tongue Ties?
Yes, adults can have a tongue tie or a little tongue (it doesn’t have to be to the tip) because the tissue doesn’t stretch out or go away.
How often does an adult have a tongue tie? According to estimates, Tongue-tie, or a tongue too short, affects about 25% of children. So, if adults were correctly checked, 25% would also have tongue-tie. That’s if no recent environmental changes (like folic acid or some other toxin) are increasing rates.
“How can you tell?” is always the next question. So the best quick test is to open your mouth wide, lift your tongue, and try to touch the back of your top teeth. Look in the mirror and see how far you can raise your language. If you can only lift it halfway or less, you have a big problem. You can’t move around much. Even people who lift their tongues past halfway might be “compensating” by raising the floor of their mouths. This could make their tongues less flexible, but they might look “normal.” But remember that an adult’s symptoms are more important than how their tongue looks to determine if they have a tongue tie or restriction.
Tongue Tie Problems In Adults
If you look in the mirror, open your mouth, and lift your tongue, you’ll see a band of tissue trying to connect the bottom of your tongue to the floor of your mouth. The lingual frenulum is the name for this piece of tissue.
Most people have a thin, flat lingual frenulum in the middle of the bottom of their tongue. This is normal, and it gives your tongue a lot of room to move.
But if you have a tongue-tie, the frenulum at the back of your tongue may be short, thick, or tight. It may connect the tip of the tongue to the floor of the mouth, making it hard to move the tongue.
In some cases, tongue-tie doesn’t cause too many problems, and a person may not have it fixed even as an adult. But a tongue tie may cause problems as a person gets older.
If you still have a tongue tie as an adult, you’ve probably learned to live with it. If you have a mild case, you might not even know you have one.
People are born with tongue-ties about 3.5 to 5% of the time. Some doctors also tell parents to wait for surgery on a baby’s tongue tie because the lingual frenulum tends to loosen over time. But some research has shown that because the frenulum is made of collagen cells, it can’t be stretched.
Who Has To Get A Frenectomy?
Frenectomies can be done in adults who are having trouble eating or who are having trouble speaking. But sometimes adults also need to have frenectomies. For instance, a frenum can sometimes be so tight that it pulls the gums away from the teeth. A frenectomy cuts the band of connective tissue, lowering the risk of gaps, gum recession, and other health problems with your mouth.
Why Do Adults Get A Frenectomy?
A frenectomy is a surgical procedure that removes excess tissue from the frenum to treat a malfunctioning frenum. Doctors may recommend a frenectomy when a frenum is either short or too tight. Tissue behind the tongue may be surgically removed using a simple lingual frenectomy.
What Kinds Of Frenectomies Are There?
Oral Frenectomies Come In Two Main Types:
In a lingual frenectomy, the band of tissue that connects the bottom of your tongue to the floor of your mouth is removed or changed. Tongue ties can be fixed with lingual frenectomies.
Labial Frenectomy
This procedure removes the tissue band that connects your upper gums to your front teeth. It is sometimes called a maxillary frenectomy. Labial frenectomies are used to fix lips that are stuck together. Labial frenectomies can also be done on the lower lip, but they are less common than those on the upper lip.
What Goes On Before This Step?
Before performing a frenectomy, your doctor will look at your health history. They’ll also discuss whether you need sedation and what kinds of sedation are available, such as laughing gas, pills, or an IV. A frenectomy doesn’t always need to be done under sedation. Your doctor or nurse will help you determine if it’s good for you.
When Should A Frenectomy Be Done In Adults?
If, after getting braces, there is still a space between two permanent teeth, the labial frenectomy could fix the problem. In many cases, the gap caused by the length of the labial frenum closes on its own as the adult teeth come in and grow.
What Happens During This Process?
The frenulum is cut off with scissors. Most of the time, this is fast and only takes a few minutes. Your doctor may use local anesthesia to numb the area around the frenulum in adults. Once comfortable, they will use a scalpel or surgical scissors to cut off or change your frenum. In some situations, stitches (sutures) may be needed to close the cut. Most of the time, the process takes 30 minutes or less.
What Will Happen After This Step?
After a frenectomy, your doctor will give you detailed instructions on what to do next. Most of the time, you don’t need any more care and can start eating again immediately.
You might need painkillers to help with any pain, and you might also need antibacterial mouthwash. Your doctor may want to see you in a week or two to check on how well you’re getting better.
What Are The Pros Of Doing It This Way?
Frenectomy surgery has a lot of advantages. For instance, this method can:
- Help you to talk properly.
- Cut down on your chances of getting cavities, gum disease, and other problems with your mouth.
- Close any gaps in your teeth to make your smile look better.
What Are The Possible Risks Or Problems With This Procedure?
A frenectomy has risks and possible problems, just like any other surgery. Some risks of having a frenectomy are:
- Bleeding.
- Infection.
- Damage to the salivary ducts near the tie in the tongue.
- Pain.
- Swelling.
- Anesthesia caused an allergic reaction.
- We are putting the frenum back on (rare).
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