A frenum is a muscular stretch of tissue that connects and holds other tissues in place. Occasionally a frenum might be exceptionally short, thick, or tight, or may extend too far down along the tongue or the gum and results in lip tie or tongue tie. When a frenum is positioned in such a way it may interfere with the normal alignment of teeth, speech or constricts the movement of the tongue or lips. It can be corrected by a surgery called a frenectomy. A frenectomy is simply the removal of a frenum in the mouth.
There are two frena (the plural form of frenum) in the mouth that can sometimes obstruct normal function and are candidates for frenectomies. These frena are called:
Lingual Frenum: which connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth
Maxillary Labial Frenum: which connects the inside of your upper lip to your gums just above your upper two front teeth.
Sometimes, the lingual frenum can run all the way to the tip of the tongue, causing a person to be “tongue-tied.” If the attachment is extends all the way to the tip of the tongue, then a frenectomy may be the only choice to give the child normal tongue function.
A lingual frenectomy is a simple procedure and involves numbing the tongue with an anesthetic. A small incision is then made which will free the tongue from the floor of the mouth. The incision then will be sewn up to allow the tissue to heal.
A soft tissue laser is an alternative method to address the issue. A soft tissue laser does NOT cut but uses light energy to “vaporize” the tissue with very little discomfort. Additionally there is almost no bleeding from the laser procedure. The healing is very quick with less risk of infection.
If you or your child is experiencing discomfort and is struggling with this issue, contact us to schedule a free consultation.
Love the entire crew @ 5th and Olive Dental! They treat you like family.
A wonderful and caring team! You are in good hands with 5th and Olive Dental.
I have wonderful experiences with my dental visits at 5th & Olive. The staff are very friendly, polite and accommodating. I am completely satisfied with the work that has been done and I will continue to come back for excellent treatment!
Love this dental office! The location is so convenient for me. The staff is very friendly and I'm so glad I found an amazing hygienist that made my appointment fly right by.
I was visiting from out of town and I had a tooth ache. I was referred to this office from a close friend of mine living in that area.
Wow, what an experience I had there!!!!!
Ali, front staff, was AWESOME! She was able to accommodate me and get me in last minute for me to receive proper service I needed.
Once again THANK YOU!
Dr. Kim kindly explained to me what was wrong with my tooth and guided me with all options available for me to fix it. Left the office understanding completely of my conditions and options for the first time in my life.
I didn't know dentist could be that nice! LOL
The technology and service was amazing and Dr. Kim and staffs were awesome. Definitely was worth the visit.
It sucks the met this dentistry on my vacation, but I would LOVE to visit when I can! Definitely place to GO!!! Recommend 100%
I LOVE the team, with my fear of dental I am always skeptical but from second one, I felt comfortable! Dr. Kim is Smart, Kind and Amazing and the work is top-notch quality, very affordable and works with my insurance. Thank you from the front to the back you all ROCK!
They are so nice. I normally have really sensitive gums but they are not bad at all when I get my teeth cleaned. They give me really good advice and answer any questions I have about my teeth. Our family comes here. Also great with kids.
Came for a cleaning and the cleaning was very good, felt like my teeth were separated from how clean they cleaned it. The inside is super pretty also!
Always a pleasant experience- love the staff so friendly!! My mouth never felt better!
I had not been to the dentist in a long time, and decided to make an appointment here for an exam/cleaning. I heard back from them right away and it was easy to make an appointment. It's clean and welcoming. Everyone made me feel comfortable and did a thorough job. They communicated well throughout the appointment and afterwards. Couldn't ask for more.
