Laser Frenectomy

Have you ever heard of Frenectomy? Like most people it might be an uncommon terminology for you as well.

What is a Frenectomy?

The Frenectomy is a procedure that releases the frenum under the tongue or the upper lip for enabling better range of motion. Some children are born with a combination of conditions such as tongue-tie and lip-tie which restricts range of motion and may create difficulty in breastfeeding along with issues such as decay, spacing, speech and airway difficulties, or digestive issues. The issues can be corrected with the help of simple procedure done with help of soft tissue laser.

Laser Frenectomy – How Does It Work?

During the procedure, the laser doesn’t cut but vaporizes the tissue with light energy. There is minimal to no discomfort with the laser. There is almost no bleeding during the procedure and some children even sleep through the procedure. The lasers also sterilize at touch so there is lesser risk of infection. Plus, the healing is quite fast in this type of procedure.

How Can A Lip-Tie Affect My Child?

The lip-tie is a condition when the upper lip remains attached with the upper gum. There can be moderate to severe tie-ups causing challenges such as:

• Inability to flange the maxillary lip upward while breastfeeding which affects the infant’s ability to latch.
• Issues during brushing and flossing.
• Increase in the risk of dental decay.
• Pain during breastfeeding.
• Trauma to maxillary frenum as it is low and prominent.

What Can I Expect After The Laser Frenectomy Is Done?

Breastfeeding after the procedure can be fine since the breast milk contains healing properties. Plus, it is believed that the simple breastfeeding is assuring and soothing to the baby. Latching may be a little difficult in the beginning as small amount of aesthetic is used during the procedure. However, the numbness will wear off in less than an hour. However, the posterior tongue tie may take some time to show the results after Frenectomy. It is better to practice the post treatment exercises along with meeting a lactation consultant.