February 1, 2024 | By Molarbear
Do you have trouble sticking your tongue out past your lower teeth or touching your upper teeth with your tongue? You may have a short frenum. A frenum is a thin tissue that connects your tongue or lip to your mouth. If you have a lip or tongue tie, you may have learned to live with it or have a mild case.
A tight frenum can make it hard to clean your teeth. It can also cause oral problems, such as speech and eating difficulties, gaps between the front teeth, and speech problems. But getting a frenectomy can free your lip or tongue, making your smile better.
In this guide, you will learn about the types of frenectomy procedures and how to take care of your mouth after them. Please read on.
What Is a Frenectomy?
A frenectomy in Houston is a procedure that cuts or changes the binding tissues in your body. The procedure helps to increase the movement of another body part.
The frenum is the tissue that connects your lips and gums. If the frenum is too short or tight, it can affect how babies talk, swallow, and breastfeed. That is why a dentist at Molar Bear Pediatric Dentistry may need to do a frenectomy to fix it.
What Are the Different Types of Frenectomy?
There are two types of frenectomies in dentistry – lingual and maxillary. These procedures help to fix a tongue tie or a lip tie.
Lingual Frenectomy
The lingual frenum is the tissue that links your tongue and your mouth. You can feel your lingual frenum stretch if you touch the upper surface of your mouth with your tongue. Some people have a shorter frenum than others.
A short frenum limits the movement of your tongue. This is called ankyloglossia or tongue tie. Studies show that tongue tie happens more in boys than girls.
A lingual frenectomy surgery is important because a tongue tie can make it hard to breastfeed and talk as a child grows. The procedure is fast and gives your tongue more range of motion.
The labial frenum is the tissue that links up your upper lip to your gums above your front teeth. A short labial frenum can make it hard to talk and clean your gums and front teeth. This can increase the chance of dental problems, such as gum disease.
Maxillary Frenectomy
The labial frenum is the tissue that links up your upper lip to your gums above your front teeth. A short labial frenum can make it hard to talk and clean your gums and front teeth. This can increase the chance of dental problems, such as gum disease.
Does a Frenectomy Hurt?
A frenectomy does not hurt. Pediatric dentists in Houston can use a traditional or a laser method to do a frenectomy. A frenectomy takes about 15 to 20 minutes, no matter what method is used.
A traditional frenectomy uses a scalpel or surgical scissors. The dentist may need to put some stitches to close the cut in more serious cases. The procedure does not hurt because the dentist will use an anesthetic to make the area numb.
A laser frenectomy near you is like the traditional method. The only difference is that the dentist uses a laser to cut the frenum. A laser frenectomy is usually painless, and there is less chance of infection or bleeding.
How to Recover After a Frenectomy
After a frenectomy surgery, recovery is easy. For babies, you just need to keep the area clean. For adults, you need to eat soft foods for a few days to avoid getting food stuck in the surgical site and causing infection.
You should also use the antibiotics that your dentist gives you to prevent problems or infections. You should start to heal in a day or two after the procedure.
A short frenum can affect your speech, eating, and breathing. It can also make it hard to clean your teeth, leading to oral health problems. With a frenectomy, you can make your lip or tongue more mobile, improving your smile.
A frenectomy is a quick procedure, so it is best to visit a dentist in you for it. You can also call us or visit us if you live near Bear Creek, Copperfield, Glencairn, Berkshire, Westglen, Katy and Cypress.
