A frenectomy is the removal of a

frenulum A frenulum (or frenum, plural: frenula or frena, from the Latin ''frēnulum'', "little bridle", the diminutive of ''frēnum'') is a small fold of tissue that secures the motion of a mobile organ in the body. In human anatomy Frenula on the h ...

, a small fold of tissue that prevents an organ in the body from moving too far. It can refer to frenula in several places on the human body. It is related to

frenuloplasty Frenuloplasty is the surgical alteration of a frenulum when its presence restricts range of motion between interconnected tissues. Two of the common sites for a frenuloplasty are: * Frenuloplasty of tongue * Frenuloplasty of prepuce of penis A ...

, a surgical alteration in a frenulum. Done mostly for orthodontic purposes, a frenectomy is either performed inside the middle of the upper lip, which is called labial frenectomy, or under the tongue, called lingual frenectomy. Frenectomy is a very common dental procedure that is performed on infants, children, and adults. A similar procedure frenulotomy is where a tight frenulum may be relieved by making an incision in the tight tissue.

Types

There are several frenula that are associated with types of frenectomy: * Genital frenectomy can be performed to remove frenulums from genitalia *

Lingual frenectomy A lingual frenectomy (also known as a tongue-tie release) is the removal of a band of tissue (the lingual frenulum) connecting the underside of the tongue with the floor of the mouth. A lingual frenectomy is performed to correct ankyloglossia (ton ...

(of the tongue) as a treatment for

ankyloglossia Ankyloglossia, also known as tongue-tie, is a congenital oral anomaly that may decrease the mobility of the tongue tip and is caused by an unusually short, thick lingual frenulum, a membrane connecting the underside of the tongue to the floor of ...

(tongue-tie) *

Labial frenectomy A labial frenectomy is a form of frenectomy performed on the lip. The labial frenulum A frenulum (or frenum, plural: frenula or frena, from the Latin ''frēnulum'', "little bridle", the diminutive of ''frēnum'') is a small fold of tissue that ...

(of the lip) is very common with patients undergoing denture treatment to get the proper fit of dentures or patients who have tissues attached to center of the upper lip and causing recession of gums or gap between the upper front teeth called central incisors. * A frenectomy can also be performed to remove a section of tissue (the

) that attached to the gingival tissue between two teeth.

Pediatric and Infant Frenectomies

In the past, the frenectomy procedure was perhaps the most popular of soft tissue operations in younger patients. Many labial and lingual frenum (tongue- and lip-ties) were snipped by a

midwife A midwife is a health professional who cares for mothers and newborns around childbirth, a specialization known as midwifery. The education and training for a midwife concentrates extensively on the care of women throughout their lifespan; co ...

family doctor Family medicine is a medical specialty within primary care that provides continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and family across all ages, genders, diseases, and parts of the body. The specialist, who is usually a primary ...

dental surgeon A dentist, also known as a dental surgeon, is a health care professional who specializes in dentistry (the diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity and other aspects of the craniofacial comp ...

. The overall awareness and treatment of tongue- and lip-ties especially in

breastfeeding Breastfeeding, or nursing, is the process by which human breast milk is fed to a child. Breast milk may be from the breast, or may be expressed by hand or pumped and fed to the infant. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that br ...

infants has increased over recent years. Frenectomies are routinely performed on infants to improve

outcomes. In 2020, medical professionals raised the concern that a recent rise in unnecessary frenectomies on infants may be encouraged in part by information shared in online parenting groups. While public healthcare options (e.g.

NHS The National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). Since 1948, they have been funded out of general taxation. There are three systems which are referred to using the " ...

) may not cover frenulectomies, in part due to these concerns, private clinic surgeries remain viable options for concerned parents. Traditionally tongue-ties are diagnosed by appearance alone; newer research advocates for a functional assessment to determine any deleterious effect on breastfeeding. Before any surgical intervention for difficulties related to breastfeeding, preoperative consultation with a certified lactation consultant is recommended.

Laser frenectomy with CO₂ surgical lasers

Frenectomies can be safely and efficiently released with the soft tissue 10,600 nm CO₂ laser with predictable and repeatable tissue response, fast ablation and instant hemostasis. The extremely precise cutting, minimal collateral damage, clear and bloodless operating field, make the CO₂ laser a good choice for frenectomy procedures. CO₂ laser oral surgery also features less wound contraction and reduced scarring or fibrosis in comparison with scalpel incisions.

References

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Types

Pediatric and Infant Frenectomies

Laser frenectomy with CO2 surgical lasers

References

Further reading

Laser frenectomy with CO₂ surgical lasers