A frenulum is a piece of tissue that prevents an organ from moving. 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 sometimes necessary to resolve the situation.
A frenectomy is a minor surgical procedure that is performed in the dentist’s office, typically with local anesthesia. It can be performed with either a scalpel or laser type device and takes less than 15 minutes. Using a laser type device causes very little bleeding and does not require stitches.