Frenectomy in Coburg
Our qualified and skilled team of dentists are very experienced in carrying out the frenectomy procedure – a surgery involving the removal of the frenum.
The frenum is a small fold of skin and connective tissue that prevents an organ or muscle mass in the body from moving too far. It is a normal part of the body and while most people do not require any surgical intervention of the frena, some do.
The Problematic Frenum
If a frenum is too large or deep it can sometimes restrict or obstruct normal function of the body part to which it is attached, for example, the tongue or lips.
There are five frena in the mouth. The most problematic frenum is found in the midline under the tongue. This is known as a lingual frenum. When this frenum prevents correct tongue function, it is commonly known as tongue-tie or ankyloglossia.
There are two frena found in the midline under the upper and lower lips. They connect the lip to the gums below the two front teeth and these are known as maxillary labial frenum and mandibular labial frenum respectively.
The two other frena are found on the inside of our cheeks connecting to our gums, these are known as buccal frenums.
When is a Frenectomy Recommended?
A lingual frenectomy is the removal of the lingual frenum and is commonly performed to treat tongue-tie or ankyloglossia. The most common reasons for recommending a lingual frenectomy include difficulty with breastfeeding, speech development or tongue functions such as licking, eating or swallowing.
A labial frenectomy is the removal of the lip frenum. It is performed for a variety of reasons, including:
- Breastfeeding problems
- The prevention of gum recession where the frenum is too high on the gums
- Orthodontic reasons, where a large frenum causes a space to develop between the two front teeth (as an adjunct to orthodontic treatment)
- To improve the fit of a denture where the frenum interferes with the function of the denture
What to Expect from Your Frenectomy
Our experienced Coburg dentists, Dr Kestenberg and Dr Matthew Siebel, performs the frenectomy procedure using a diode or Erbium: YAG laser. This can be done for patients of any age and only takes a few minutes to do in our Melbourne dental clinic.
The majority of patients do not require any local anaesthetic, but if you wish a topical anaesthetic cream or a local anaesthetic injection can be given.
You can expect to feel a ‘pins and needles’ type sensation and experience a burning smell during the procedure.
Recovering from Your Frenectomy
Laser surgery has the advantage of not requiring anaesthesia or stitching in most situations.
Healing from a frenectomy generally takes 10 days, and you should not require any antibiotics after your laser frenectomy procedure.
You may have heard of a tongue-tie, lip tie or buccal ties but what does this mean and how is this treated?
The frenum is a small developmental fold of skin and connective tissue that limits the movement of an organ or muscle mass in the body. It is a normal part of the body and while most people do not require any surgical intervention of the frena, some do especially if there is a significant restriction.
Our qualified and skilled team of dentists are very experienced in diagnosing these conditions and carrying out the frenectomy or frenotomy procedure – a surgery involving the removal of the frenum. We treat frenectomy patients from all over Melbourne, interstate and overseas. As of the end of 2019 we have performed over 10,000 frenectomy procedures.
When is a Frenectomy Recommended?
A lingual frenectomy is the removal of the lingual frenum and is commonly performed to treat tongue-tie or ankyloglossia. The most common reasons for recommending a lingual frenectomy include difficulty with breastfeeding, speech development or tongue functions such as licking, eating or swallowing. For this reason we have an experienced midwife and two lactation consultants on our staff. We also have an extensive network of allied health professionals who are located all over Melbourne for your convenience.
A labial frenectomy is the removal of the lip frenum. It is performed for a variety of reasons, including:
- Breastfeeding problems
- Eating issues
- Speech problems
- Difficulty with tooth brushing around the front teeth
- The prevention of gum recession where the frenum is too high on the gums
- Orthodontic reasons, where a large frenum causes a space to develop between the two front teeth (as an adjunct to orthodontic treatment)
- To improve the fit of a denture where the frenum interferes with the function of the denture
How is a tie diagnosed?
Firstly an assessment is made of the function of the tethered oral tissues to determine if there is a restriction in the range of movement of the related muscles.
An assessment is then made of the structure of the frenulum and whether a release will improve the function.
Finally the related signs and symptoms are correlated to the structural and functional assessment to determine if treatment is likely to improve these signs and symptoms.
If you are not sure about your particular situation we encourage you to contact us by phone or email with your queries. For patients who live outside the Melbourne Metropolitan area, we can arrange an e-consultation via Skype or Facetime to help determine if a trip to Melbourne is warranted. (A fee applies for this service)
Why is a referral required?
We require a referral from a relevant health care worker for several reasons in many different situations.
For example a baby with feeding difficulties should be assessed by a lactation consultant first to ensure that the problematic symptoms are related to ties and not another issue. We prefer the lactation consultant does a thorough assessment of feeding and uses an assessment tool such as the Dobrich assessment tool. (We can send this to a referrer)
A child with speech issues should be assessed by a speech pathologist first to determine if conventional speech therapy can resolve the issue. The speech pathologist should include a report of the outcome of the speech articulation testing with the referral.
Chiropractors and osteopaths also should make a pre-operative assessment of their patients to evaluate the likelihood that a frenectomy procedure will be beneficial.
For patients, parents and caregivers, there is peace of mind knowing that a knowledgeable health care worker has evaluated the patient to some degree and feels that the patient may benefit from the procedure.
The referring health care worker should then be involved in the aftercare of the patient if the frenectomy procedure is performed.
We have an extensive network of relevant health care workers who can assess the patient, write a suitable report and referral and provide a high standard of after care for you. If you are having trouble locating a suitable referrer, please contact our rooms on 03 9039 3137 so that we can help you.
What to Expect During The Frenectomy Procedure
Our experienced Coburg, Melbourne, dentists, Dr Jeffrey Kestenberg and Dr Matthew Siebel, perform the frenectomy procedure using a diode or Erbium: YAG laser. This can be done for patients of any age and only takes a few minutes to do in our Melbourne dental clinic which is located in the inner northern suburbs.
The majority of patients do not require any local anaesthetic, but if you wish a topical anaesthetic cream or a local anaesthetic injection can be given.
You can expect to feel a ‘pins and needles’ type sensation and sometimes experience a burning smell during the procedure. You are welcome to bring your referring health care worker with you and we encourage 2 adults to accompany a child patient to the appointment particularly if a procedure is to be performed.
Recovering From Your Frenectomy
Laser surgery has the advantage of not requiring anaesthesia or stitching in most situations.
Healing from a frenectomy generally takes 10-14 days, and you should not require any antibiotics after your laser frenectomy procedure.
Post-operative care usually includes some form of open wound management such as stretching the tongue and/or the lip. Our staff will instruct you on the technique best suited for you.
Our staff are available 7 days a week if you have any concerns or queries and we have an after hours contact as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why wasn’t my baby’s tongue and lip tie diagnosed in hospital when the child was born?
Doctors including paediatricians are not well taught about ties during their undergraduate or post-graduate training as it is not part of the Australian medical curriculum. Similarly nurses and mid-wives have very limited exposure to training and to the wealth of information which is available. These health professionals who wish to learn more about ties need to access courses and training in their own time. As a result the level of knowledge in hospitals is inconsistent.
I was told my baby has a slight tongue tie but there are no issues and he’s putting on weight. Should it be treated?
Approximately 10-11% of babies are born with a tongue-tie. There are many variations in the morphology and tightness of tongue-ties. Hence, many of these babies can breastfeed with some compensations and no symptoms. However, issues can occur later in life such as an inability to eat some solid foods, speech issues, or dental growth and development issues.
As a general rule in medicine and dentistry we don’t treat something unless there are issues. However, there are exceptions to this. Some people prefer to wait until symptoms arise. Others prefer to have a tongue-tie treated earlier to maximize the potential of the dental growth and development and avoid other issues.
Avoiding a sedation or general anaesthetic later in childhood is another consideration.
There is no definite correct answer in all cases
Can I claim the procedure on Medicare?
Because the procedure is performed by a dentist, a claim cannot be made through Medicare. A claim can be made on Extras Cover of Private Health Insurance but is restricted on some policies. The item number for the consultation is 014 or 016 and for the procedure is 391. You can contact your Health Insurance Provider to see what the rebate would be.
Find Out More
To find out more about frenectomy assessment and surgery, or to book a consultation with an experienced dentist, call Coburg Dental Group on 03 9386 1805.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.