A frenectomy, which is also called a frenulctomy, is a surgery done in the mouth to fix tongue-tie or lip-tie. During the process, your doctor will change and cut the frenum, which is made of connective tissues and acts as a band to connect the two areas.
The frenulum can connect the tongue to the floor of the mouth or the lips to the gums in our mouths. Our lips have more than one frenum. Most of the time, they don’t cause any problems. But if a frenum is too short or too tight, it can hurt a person’s mouth health and make it hard for them to speak. It can make it hard for children and babies to swallow and nurse.
Due to its difficulties and side effects, having a frenectomy ruined my smile. Read on to find out how the frenectomy ruined my smile.
What is a Frenectomy?
A frenectomy is the simple excision of an oral frenum. A frenum is a muscle that connects two tissues. There are two frena in the mouth that are candidates for frenectomies because they can sometimes obstruct normal function. The lingual frenum, which connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth, and the maxillary labial frenum, which connects the inside of the upper lip to the gums just above the upper two front teeth, are the names of these frena.
Who Needs a Frenectomy?
Most of the time, frenectomies are done on babies who are having trouble eating or speaking. In some cases, people also need to have their frenectomies done. For instance, the frenum can sometimes get so tight that it pulls the gums away from the teeth.
With a frenectomy, these bands of connective tissue will be cut away. This will automatically lower the risk of gum recession, gaps, and other mouth health problems.
What is the Purpose of a Frenectomy?
You or your child might need a frenectomy for many different reasons. Your doctor may suggest this treatment to fix a frenum that is causing:
- A lip tie, which stops the lips from moving.
- A tongue tie makes it hard for you to move your mouth.
- Diastema is when there is a space between your teeth, which may not look good to some people.
- Gum recession can lead to gums, cavities, and loose teeth.
- Pain, stiffness, or soreness when brushing or caring for the teeth.
When is A Frenectomy Recommended?
If a faulty frenum makes it hard to speak or eat and swallow, a doctor may suggest a frenectomy.
After the teeth are straightened, dentists often suggest a frenectomy. Frenectomy takes out the overgrown frenum and makes sure that the gap between the teeth doesn’t happen again.
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Frenectomy Ruined My Smile
If your doctor has told you that you need a frenectomy, you probably have a lot of questions and worries. People often worry that a frenectomy will make their smile look bad.
But it’s important to know that a frenectomy is really done to make your smile look better. If your frenum is too big, it can cause your gums to recede and leave spaces between your teeth, which can make you feel bad about how you look.
With a frenectomy to remove the abnormal frenum and orthodontic treatment like braces, you can close the gaps and get a beautiful smile that makes you feel better about yourself.
You may also wonder if a frenectomy can make you have a goofy smile. It’s important to know that a frenectomy does not cause a goofy smile. When there is too much gum tissue covering the teeth, this is called a “gummy smile,” while a “frenectomy” removes the soft tissue between the front teeth. If you have a “gummy smile,” there are different ways to fix it that you can talk to your doctor about. So, you don’t have to worry that having a frenectomy will make it hard for you to smile.
What is a Frenum?
The soft tissues come together to make the frenum, a flexible piece. It’s made up of the flexible, striated muscles between the gums and lips. Frena is found around the mouth’s bottom, top, sides, and under your tongue.
Frena’s main job is to keep the movement of the portative organ stable. The strong connection between the muscle and the organ lets the person swallow, move their mouth, and speak perfectly. But not everyone’s Frena are the same; they vary in width and length. There are three kinds of Frena in our mouths: labial, buccal, and lingual.
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What are the Types of Frenectomies?
Oral frenectomies come in two main types:
- Lingual frenectomy: This procedure eliminates or alters the band of tissue connecting the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth. To rectify tongue-tying, lingual frenectomies are performed.
- Labial frenectomy: This is a treatment that removes the band of tissue that connects your upper gums to your front teeth. It is sometimes called a maxillary frenectomy. Lip ties can be fixed with labial frenectomies. Labial frenectomies can also be done on the lower lip, but they are less common than those on the upper lip.
Frenectomy Ruined My Smile: Side Effects
You might be thinking if frenectomy has any side effects. In this piece, I’ll talk about some of the major side effects of having a frenectomy. Most of the time, a frenectomy heals itself and has no side effects. But the side effects may happen to some people.
Swelling
Most people have a little bit of swelling after a frenectomy. Normal after a frenectomy is a small amount of swelling. On the third day, the swelling is more noticeable, but it goes away as time goes on. Your doctor may tell you to take anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin to get rid of the swelling.
But ibuprofen can have some bad side effects. If it makes you feel bad, stop taking it and see your doctor right away.
Infection
There is a chance of getting an infection after a frenectomy, which can make the swelling and pain worse. Because of the situation, you may see that the swelling doesn’t go away over time. You might also have other signs, such as a high fever.
Taking care of your oral health can keep you from getting sick. Don’t forget to gargle with cold salt water after you eat. Most doctors recommend taking medicines to avoid getting sick. Do not stop taking your antibiotics or skip doses until your doctor tells you to.
If you don’t take your medicine correctly, it could slow down the healing process.
Pain
After a frenectomy, most people feel about the same amount of pain. You shouldn’t worry about the small pain because it’s a normal part of getting better. Your doctor can also give you painkillers like aspirin, ibuprofen, or something else to help ease the pain.
Don’t eat foods that are too hot or spicy, and take it easy on yourself by eating your food slowly. When you eat spicy, crunchy, or hot foods after surgery, you can hurt the area where the surgery was done. It will make the pain worse and could lead to bleeding or an infection.
Bleeding
After a frenectomy, you may have some light bleeding from the area where the surgery was done. You can stop the bleeding quickly by putting a wet tea bag on it and putting a little pressure on it.
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Nerve Damage
During a frenectomy, the nerves can sometimes get hurt. It can change the way you feel in the area. After the surgery, you might feel like the tip of your tongue is numb. The frenectomy can also make the area where the surgery was done feel tingly.
Nerve damage is generally not shared or permanent, and it usually goes away on its own. Most people get better on their own in two to three weeks.
Conclusion
This piece talked about frenectomy and how it changes your smile. Now you won’t be able to say, “Frenectomy ruined my smile!”
Some things can go wrong after a frenectomy. But they don’t work for everyone. They can also be taken care of. So the benefits of a frenectomy are more important than the small risks of side effects.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Frenectomy Ruined My Smile
How Painful is a Frenectomy?
The pain that a person feels during a frenectomy can vary from person to person. Overall, a frenectomy is generally considered to be a minor surgical procedure that patients do well with.
Will a Frenectomy Change Your Smile?
Frenectomies aren’t like plastic surgery because they don’t change the way your mouth is built. Even though a frenotomy won’t hurt your smile, it could make it better.
By cutting or removing the frenulum, you can free up the top lip, which will make your smile stand out more. If there are no frena, it may be easier to get to the teeth, which is good for your oral health. When those white teeth are whiter and shiner, that’s a good change.
Are there any downsides to frenectomy?
There are risks of infection, pain, and bleeding with a frenectomy. Near the tongue tie, where drool drains, there is a chance of getting hurt.
How Long is Recovery from a Frenectomy?
Even though a full recovery can take weeks, the healing process starts as soon as you get out of the chair. Downtime is at most a few hours. When the laser is used, it helps the nearby tissues heal.
What is the difference between surgical and laser frenectomy?
A laser is used in a laser frenectomy to cut away extra tissue, while a blade is used in a conventional frenectomy. When a laser is used instead of a blade, there is less chance of bleeding. With a laser frenectomy, you heal faster and have fewer side effects. But laser frenectomy can be expensive and is hard to do without the right skills.
What kind of Anesthesia is used in a frenectomy?
When a doctor does a frenectomy, they usually use local sedation. With this sedation, you won’t be out of your mind, but you won’t feel any pain either.
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