A frenulum is a piece of muscle tissue inside the mouth. There is a frenulum that attaches your upper lip to the gums, while another connects the lower lip to the gums. A frenulum that is too short or thick, will cause problems in speech patterns and tooth misalignment. In infants, a shortened frenulum underneath the tongue will inhibit breastfeeding. When the frenulum disrupts movement, growth, or development, corrective action is necessary to resolve the situation. You may have heard someone is tongue tied. This is an expample of when the piece of muscle tissue restricts the free movement of the tongue impairing speech.

A frenectomy is a minor surgical procedure that is performed in your dentist’s office. It can be performed with either a scalpel or laser and takes less than 15 minutes. Using a laser causes very little bleeding and does not require stitches. A laser also results in less postoperative discomfort and a shorter healing time. Patients generally have theprocedure performed using local anesthesia. If your child needs a frenectomy, there is nothing to worry about. The procedure is very successful and causes minimal discomfort. The good news is Frederick Dental Group has a Soft tissue Laser called the Picasa. We believe in providing the technologies for our patients.