Labial Frenectomy

The Frenum is a small, soft piece of tissue found in your mouth. The frenum that is found under your tongue is called the lingual frenum. Its function is to help control the tongue with your speech and swallowing mechanism. The frenum on the roof of your mouth is called the labial frenum. It is found between your upper lip and your two front teeth. This tiny piece of tissue also helps with your speech patterns. In the event of an accident and the labial frenum is torn, or in the case of an oversized labial frenum, simple surgery can be performed to either repair the
frenum or to make the frenum smaller and normal in size.

Why have a Labial Frenectomy?

If you have excessive tissue in this labial frenum you can have a condition called lip tie. This can actually cause pain to some patients, eating and speaking difficulties and even cause your gums to recede. Something that happens often is an excessive labial frenum can cause a large gap between your two front teeth. Prior to orthodontic correction the frenum will have to be altered to make the braces work. An oversized frenum can affect the wearing of dentures causing the upper dentures to frequently come dislodged. A labial frenectomy in columbus oh might benefit your bite pattern or it might be suggested for cosmetic benefits.

The Labial Frenectomy Procedure

The simple traditional method is that under simple local anesthesia the dentist can use a small surgical knife or scalpel. Once the frenum is numb the tissue in question can be removed with a small excision and dissolvable sutures used at the site of the incision. The blood loss is minimal with this traditional method.

A more recent method is to use a laser. The laser beam is extremely precise and can be focused on the target site and both cut the excess tissue and coagulate the remaining healthy tissue at the site. You will experience no blood loss with this method.

A final method is that of using a heated electrode and burning the excess or abnormal tissue. Having thermal cautery also involves no blood loss.

Recovery from a Labial Frenectomy

The procedure itself only takes between 30 minute and an hour. Depending on the amount of tissue removed there are very little recovery concerns. On an occasion one might experience slightly excessive bleeding, or some pain and bruising around the surgical site and even slight swelling in the lips and gums. As with any wound and the healing process there is always the possibility of an infection. Saltwater gargles will be suggested in your post-operative care as well as an ice pack for a few days and some over the counter pain reliever. Keep your mouth
clean and your teeth clean at all times. Consider your diet. Softer foods will be advantageous as well as no hot and spicy foods. A full recovery will take place in a few days to a week. A labial frenectomy is performed on all ages from infants to geriatrics.

More about Frenectomy : Lingual Frenectomy