Frenectomy ruined my smile

Frenectomy, also known as the frenulctomy, is an oral surgery to treat tongue-tie or lip ties. During the procedure, your surgeon modifies and cuts the frenum, which is made of connective tissues and works as a band to join the two areas.

In our mouth, the frenulum can join the tongue to the floor of our mouth or the lips with our gums. We have multiple frenums in our mouths. Generally, they don’t result in any complications. However, when a frenum is too short or tight, it can result in oral health issues and impact the person’s speech. In children and babies, it can cause problems with swallowing and breastfeeding.

Frenectomy ruined my smile due to its complications and side effects. Continue reading to know how frenectomy ruined my smile.

What is a frenum?

The soft tissues make a fleshy piece called the frenum. It is made up of the striated and elastic muscles present between the gums and lips. Frena is present around the bottom, top, and side of the mouth and under your tongue.

The primary role of Frena is securing the portative organ’s motion. The muscle-to-organ secure attachment gives the person proper swallowing, mouth movement, and perfect speech. But not all Frena are similar; they caries in thickness and length from person to person. Our mouth consists of different types of Frena; buccal, labial, and lingual.

Purpose of frenectomy

There are different reasons that your child may need a frenectomy. Your healthcare may recommend this procedure for the correction of the frenum due to the following issues:

Lip tie: It can limit lip movement.
Tongue tie: It can determine the motion range of your tongue.

Gum recession: It can result in cavities, gingivitis, and mobilities.
Diastema: It’s a gap between your teeth that is displeasing for some people from a cosmetic point of view.
Pain: Tenderness and swelling that result die to oral care and brushing.

Who needs a frenectomy?

Primarily frenectomies are performed on babies facing feeding issues or undergoing speech complications. In some cases, frenectomies are also necessary for adults. For example, sometimes the frenum gets so tight that it pulls your gums away from your teeth.

A frenectomy will free these connective tissue bands, automatically reducing the risks of gum recession, gaps, and other related oral health issues.

Frenectomy ruined my smile | Side effects

You must be wondering if frenectomy has any side effects. In this article, I will discuss some of the significant side effects of the frenectomy. In most cases, frenectomy automatically heals without any sort of side effect. However, some people may have to face the side effects.

Swelling

After frenectomy, you usually have a slight swelling. After frenectomy, a minor swelling is not unusual. The swelling is more prominent on the third day but subsides as time passes. Your doctor may recommend medications like the anti-inflammatory ibuprofen to reduce the swelling.

However, ibuprofen can cause side effects. If you face any side effects, stop taking it and consult your doctor immediately.

Infection

After frenectomy, there are chances of infection, which can increase swelling and pain. Due to the condition, you may notice that the swelling is not reducing with time. Sometimes you will also face other bodily symptoms like a high fever.

You can prevent an infection by taking care of your oral hygiene. After having your meal, don’t forget to gurgle with lukewarm salt water. To prevent infection, most doctors prescribe taking antibiotics. Don’t stop or skip your antibiotic dose until the doctor asks.

The improper intake of medicines can affect the healing of the site.

Pain

After frenectomy, a standard degree of pain is average. You shouldn’t worry about the slight pain as its the part of the healing process. Your doctor can also prescribe paracetamol, ibuprofen, or other analgesics to reduce the pain.

Avoid the intake of hot and spicy foods, and be easy on yourself by slowly chewing your food. After the surgery, you can irritate the operation site by taking spicy, crunchy, and hot foods. It will not only increase the pain but can also result in bleeding or infection.

Bleeding

You may have slight bleeding after frenectomy from the operation site. By placing a wet tea bag and applying a little pressure on the bleeding, you can restore it quickly.

Nerve damage

Sometimes the nerves can get damaged during frenectomy. It can affect your sensations around the area. You may feel that your tongue tip is numb after the frenectomy. The frenectomy can also result in a tingling sensation around the operation site.

The good news is that nerve damage is not shared or permanent and usually resolves independently. It usually takes around two to three weeks to get better on its own.

Labial frenectomy side effects

Labial frenectomy and lingual frenectomy side effects are almost similar. Fortunately, you can prevent and treat them with medications. Follow your doctor’s guidelines to avoid any sort of complication or side effects.

What happens after the procedure?

After the procedure, your doctor will provide you with a complete set of guidelines to prevent complications. According to your condition, your doctor may not recommend you to take any medicine and prescribe you to use an antibacterial mouthwash.

To closely monitor the site’s healing, your doctor will ask you to visit them after one or two weeks.

How long does it take to recover from a frenectomy?

The infants show a quick recovery, and babies are usually fed without any sort of difficulty. In children and adults, the recovery after a frenectomy can take up to a week. Your healthcare provider will instruct you to manage pain or discomfort during this healing period.

FAQ’s

Are there any downsides to frenectomy?

The risks of frenectomy operation include infection, pain, and bleeding. There are chances of injury near the salivary ducts that drain near the tongue tie.

Is there any age limit to frenectomy?

A frenectomy is a simple oral procedure that can be performed at any age but is generally expected in children, infants, and babies as they recover quickly.

What can go wrong with frenectomy?

A frenectomy is generally a simple procedure. Though it rarely has complications, the patients should know the potential risks. The frenectomy risks include scarring, damaging, infection, bleeding, and damage to the salivary glands.

Conclusion

If you or your children have a lip-tie or tongue-tie, it can interfere with their functioning and quality of life. Talk to your doctor to see if a frenectomy suits you or your children. Frenectomy is a quick and straightforward procedure that can solve many issues.

A frenectomy has few risks and complications; in most cases, it is a procedure with a brief recovery period.