Frenectomy Post-Operative Instructions - Dr. Dean - Plano, TX (2024)

FAQs

Frenectomy Post-Operative Instructions - Dr. Dean - Plano, TX? ›

We recommend that you rinse your mouth 2-3 times a day with a dilute solution of warm salt water (1/4 teaspoon of salt in a full glass of comfortably hot water). Do this today and tomorrow. Using too strong a salt water solution or using it more frequently can increase discomfort in your gums.

Avoid extremely hot foods for the rest of the day and do NOT rinse out your mouth, as these will often prolong the bleeding. If bleeding continues, apply light pressure to the area with a moistened gauze or moistened tea bag. Keep in place for 20-30 minutes without looking to see if bleeding has stopped. (NO PEEKING!)

After the first day, gently rinse as needed with a warm salt water rinse, approximately one-half teaspoon of salt in an eight-ounce glass of water. Brushing your teeth and gums normally will reduce bacteria in the mouth and promote healing. Please use care when brushing any areas that were treated with the laser.

You can eat after a frenectomy. Just avoid sharp, spicy, and acidic foods / liquids for the first 72 hours. Stick to a soft diet This includes items like spaghetti, casseroles, mashed potatoes, yogurt, and other foods that you can chew easily.

You will leave our office with a piece of gauze over the surgical site. This piece of gauze should remain over the site for 20 minutes. If the surgical site is bleeding or oozing once the initial piece of gauze has been removed then the gauze should be replaced with a new, moist gauze.

Your first meal should be soft. Avoid spicy, salty, acidic, very hot or very cold foods or liquids. Also, avoid nuts, chips, popcorn, hard bread, or other crunchy or fibrous foods which may become caught between your teeth. Please refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages today.

Please avoid hot, spicy, or acidic foods for the first 48 hours after surgery. 6. Please do not smoke for at least 3 days after surgery. Smoking is the number one factor in causing pain and delayed healing.

It takes between two or three weeks for the surgical site to heal completely. A laser frenectomy has an even shorter recovery period; the surgical site could heal fully in a week or two. The doctor will provide thorough after-care instructions covering pain management, feeding, and cleaning the surgical site.

Our patients experience the most discomfort during days 2-5. This healing process will ebb and flow and that is completely normal! Most patients have described this as a sore throat feeling. Full tissue healing occurs after six weeks.

My recommendation is that stretches be done 6x/day for the first 3 weeks and then spending the 4th week quickly tapering from 6 to 5, 4 to 3, 2 to 1 per day before quitting completely at the end of the 4th week.

What foods should I avoid after a frenectomy? ›

After the procedure, patients should follow a soft foods diet and avoid very hot foods. Soft foods include jello, applesauce, or pudding. We recommend to avoid any salty or acidic foods, or any foods that are extremely cold or hot. As the area heals and any numbing wears off, the patient can move to solid foods.

To Ensure the Best Results

These exercises are required for approximately six weeks after treatment, and they will ensure that the released tissue doesn't reattach during the rapid healing process. Reattachment can cause new limitations in mobility and the return of tongue or lip tie symptoms.

Latch improvement is expected towards the end of the first week after release (if not sooner), and should continue to gradually improve without setbacks. Any regression noticed should be immediately discussed with your healthcare team.

While gauze helps with bleeding and healing, you shouldn't use it indefinitely. Using gauze for an extended period can prevent the formation of a blood clot and delay the healing process, leading to complications like dry socket, infection, and prolonged pain.

Many adults are nervous to have a frenectomy as many people think this type of procedure may negatively affect their speech afterward. There are different side effects that can possibly occur after having a frenectomy, but speech isn't known to be one.

DO NOT use a straw for drinking for 24 hours. Drinking through a straw may disturb the blood clot.

Foods That You Can and Cannot Eat. Anything hot, spicy, or chewy should be ignored, as they can all bother. Keep away from consuming alcoholic beverages, as well as cookies, bagels, crusty bread, pretzels, potato chips, and any meal that is challenging to chew, such as deli meats, steak, and fowl.

The exercises that the child has to do after their frenectomy are one of the most important aspects of the whole treatment. The tongue or lip tie can easily reattach after the frenectomy, making the procedure ineffective. Exercises should last about four weeks after the tie was cut, and be repeated about 5 times a day.