Tongue frenulum plasty is a technique to correct one of the anatomical defects of the oral cavity. The tongue is attached to the floor of the mouth by a specific ligament. It is also called the frenulum, lingual or hyoid ligament. You can see this vertical fold by lifting the tongue upwards.
Thanks to this anatomical structure of the tongue and the presence of the lingual ligament, a person can eat and speak normally. But its improper attachment leads to serious problems, which can be corrected by frenulum plasty.
Specialists of the Dent-House Clinic in Odessa perform operations to correct the frenulum of the tongue and lip. Read below about in what cases it is necessary to perform this operation and how the procedure is carried out.
Diagnosis of the tongue frenulum
The development of the hyoid ligament begins at the same time as the formation of the major organs begins. This occurs in the first trimester of pregnancy. At this stage, hyoid membrane defects are most often caused by the following reasons:
- severe toxicity in the first trimester;
- infections and chronic diseases during pregnancy;
- use of drugs, certain types of medication, and radiation exposure;
- age of the mother – the higher the age, the higher the risk of foetal abnormalities;
- heredity.
As a rule, the problem of a disproportionate frenulum can be detected at a very early stage of the child’s development. Signs of possible pathology are:
- Latching and biting the nipple by the newborn during feeding;
- long feedings;
- a noticeable lag in weight gain.
If the specialist confirms the presence of pathology in a newborn, it is better not to postpone the correction of the frenulum for later. At a tender age, the operation will be as quick and painless as possible, and healing will not cause problems.
At the same time, already at the age of six months, such a fairly simple procedure has to be carried out under general anaesthesia, that is, as a full-fledged operation. Although the defect itself does not pose a threat to the child’s life.
For resection under local anaesthesia it is necessary to wait until the child is more or less conscious – 4-5 years of age or older.
From the age of approximately 6 years, the frenulum should be at least 21 mm in length and 4 mm in width. If the values deviate significantly from the norm, ankyloglossia is diagnosed as an anomaly of the hyoid ligament due to its shortening and stiffness.
As a result of this pathology, the frenulum may have slightly different forms: as a transparent shortened membrane, a lintel adjacent to the very edge of the tongue, or a thick and short ligament fused to the muscles.
If the problem is ignored, the child may have various future problems related to oral development, diction and breathing:
- Gingival recession is a change in the level of the gum margin in relation to the tooth surface;
- If the frenulum is not long enough, the person’s diction suffers, which is usually more noticeable during rapid, fluent speech;
- breathing problems due to excessive shortening of the frenulum.
Tongue frenulum resection, more commonly referred to as a plasty, will eliminate these problems. You will be able to appoint the date and time of the operation after consultation with the doctors of Dent-House. You can make an appointment in Odessa on our website, and to find out the cost of this or other procedures, for example, the installation of veneers – by phone.
Indications for a frenulum procedure
The indications for this procedure vary and depend on the age of the patient and the severity of the anomaly.
In children:
- Improper nipple grip, resulting in poor weight gain and delayed development due to a short frenulum.
- Older children have speech defects, problems with pronunciation of some sounds. Classes with a speech therapist do not bring positive results, as correct diction is hindered by anatomical features.
- Dental problems caused by a short frenulum of the tongue.
In adults:
- Slurred speech, difficulty in pronouncing some sounds caused by a too short hyoid ligament.
- Limited mobility of the tongue can make it difficult to chew food.
- A short frenulum can cause discomfort and affect the appearance of the smile.
- Before braces or other orthodontic appliances are placed, a tongue frenulum plasty may be necessary to achieve the best treatment results.
It is important to understand that only a dentist can make an accurate diagnosis and determine the need for frenulum plasty. It is not advisable to make the decision to undergo this procedure on your own.
How tongue frenulum plasty is performed at Dent-Haus Clinic
Frenulum plasty is performed through surgical intervention. Today, both traditional scalpel and more modern technologies are used for cutting and subsequent correction.
The operation itself is performed on an outpatient basis under local anaesthesia.
The traditional surgical option for correction can be performed in a variety of ways:
- Frenulotomy of the tongue – excision of the ligament is performed with a scalpel or scissors, it is performed in infants who do not need anaesthesia, as the membrane does not contain vessels and nerve endings. The second optimal period for the operation is from 4-5 years of age and is performed under local anaesthesia.
- Frenectomy – or resection of the frenulum, that is, excision with removal of part of the tissue, is usually performed under general anaesthesia.
- Frenuloplasty is the most complex variant of surgery, in which the frenulum is lengthened using a flap cut from the membrane itself. It is sutured in a specific place to increase the length of the frenulum to normal.
In case of a moderate defect and in the absence of large vessels in the ligament, electrocoagulation of the frenulum under local anaesthesia can be used.
Advantages of cooperation with Dent-House Family Dentistry Clinic
In Odessa, the Dent-House Dental Clinic uses different technologies, including one of the most modern techniques – correction of the tongue frenulum length with the help of a laser. It is less traumatic, does not cause bleeding, does not require subsequent suturing of the wound and minimises the risk of infection.
This is a non-contact technology. During the procedure, a laser beam directed with a sapphire handpiece focuses on the desired location and removes excess tissue. The entire procedure lasts no more than 5 minutes and has its own benefits:
- accuracy and lack of bleeding;
- laser has a bacteriostatic effect, which radically reduces the risk of infection;
- minimally invasive, which implies rapid wound healing;
- the most comfortable environment for the patient.
The recovery period can be accelerated if you follow all the recommendations given by the attending physician of the clinic “Dent House” in Odessa. After surgery, it is important to observe oral hygiene. In the first week after the procedure, you should rinse your mouth after every meal with an antiseptic solution prescribed by the doctor. You should also avoid eating too hot and too cold food.
Special exercises are prescribed to increase the mobility of the tongue. In the future, if there are speech defects, you should attend classes with a speech therapist.
