Can a frenectomy get infected?
The pain and discomfort following a frenectomy usually subside fairly quickly, but there are things you should do to ensure that the wound heals nicely and does not get infected.
What are the risks of a frenectomy?
Common risks of a lingual frenectomy include:
- General risks from anesthesia (if used during the procedure)
- Bleeding.
- Infection.
- Nerve damage to the mouth and tongue.
- Swelling.
- Pain.
- Reattached frenulum (rare)
How do I know if my frenectomy is infected?
INFECTION: If you notice that after a few days, pain or swelling are increasing or that you are experiencing an elevated temperature, please call our office. SWELLING: Swelling of your face or of your gums after this procedure is not common and should be reported to our office.
What happens if you cut your lingual frenulum?
Small tears to the lingual frenulum often heal on their own. However, since the area around the lingual frenulum contains a lot of blood vessels, bleeding may be a problem. Because of this, larger tears may require stitches.
What should a healed frenectomy look like?
The bleeding will stop with sucking or feeding, or with holding a cold, wet piece of gauze on the area. For the day, you can expect the tongue tie opening to look like a beefy red diamond shaped opening but it will quickly start to fill in with healing grayish/whitish/yellowish tissue.
How long does swelling last after a frenectomy?
Swelling is the body’s normal reaction to surgery and healing. Swelling may not become apparent until the day following surgery and may not reach its peak for 2-3 days. Swelling may be minimized by the immediate use of ice packs.
Can a dentist perform a frenectomy?
A frenectomy can be performed by a general dentist, an oral surgeon or another specialist. The goal is to free the tongue and allow proper speech, swallowing and movement. In the upper arch, the tissue that connects the gum to the lip is called the labial frenum.
How long does a lingual Frenectomy take to heal?
Frenectomy Recovery It takes 3-5 days to recover from a frenectomy. If you or your child had a lingual frenectomy, try to start using your tongue again as soon as possible. Be careful not to damage the surgical site.
How quickly can a frenectomy reattach?
According to the limited research available, reattachment occurs in approximately 4% of frenotomy procedures. The frenotomy procedure involves dividing the frenulum tissue and leaving behind an open wound where the tongue meets the floor of the mouth. This wound heals over a 2-3 week period.
Does frenectomy affect smile?
Whether for a child or an adult, a frenectomy can restore a healthy smile. It can help an infant whose frenulum interferes with breastfeeding, improve one’s bite function and stabilize dentures, reduce oral discomfort, and improve facial appearance by correct tooth placement and restore self-esteem and confidence.
Are there any complications with lingual frenectomy?
Even though the process of lingual frenectomy is simple, the anatomical location and topography of the lingual tissue make it vulnerable to various postoperative and intraoperative complications. This paper aims to highlight the common etiology associated with various intra and postoperative complications with this surgical procedure.
How does a lingual frenectomy remove the tongue?
A lingual frenectomy is a surgical procedure that removes the frenulum. During the operation, the surgeon makes a small cut on the frenulum to free up the tongue. The procedure may also be referred to as a frenuloplasty [FREN-yoo-loh-plass-tee].
What are the side effects of a labial frenectomy?
There are two types of frenectomy, labial and lingual. Both procedures carry risks and side effects. A labial frenectomy is done when the thin piece of skin that attaches the upper lip to the upper gum is strained and pulls the gums away from the teeth.
How to recover from an oral frenectomy procedure?
Frenectomy recovery Recovery after an oral frenectomy is generally straightforward. You’ll need to keep the area clean, which is simple enough for infant patients. For adults, you may need to limit the foods you eat for the first few days.