Caring for Your Child’s Mouth after a Frenectomy

No parent wants to discover that their child needs surgery, no matter how simple the procedure may be.

WHAT IS A FRENECTOMY

At Nederland Family Dental, we provide accurate gum surgeries, including frenectomies, with laser dentistry. Laser dentistry results in less discomfort and bleeding, and it speeds up healing time, as compared to traditional surgery.

A frenulum is a small piece of tissue that limits the mobility of certain organs. In dentistry, we address the small piece of tissue above your two front teeth or under your tongue. Surgery on the tissue beneath the tongue is often called tongue-tie surgery because failure to address a tongue-tie may impair speech development.

Using a laser, we reduce tissue size. Fortunately, the mouth heals quickly when cared for properly. 

HERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO AT HOME TO PROMOTE HEALING AND PREVENT RESEALING OF THE SURGICAL SITE:

Exercises – Several times a day, lift your child’s tongue, gently, until you can see the incision site. Do this frequently to prevent the incision from healing with reduced mobility.

Discomfort – We will discuss whether your child is old enough for a liquid pain reliever. If not, plenty of small feedings, skin-to-skin contact, and cuddles can soothe your child.

Bleeding – Bleeding should be minimal, but you may notice a small amount of blood after the frenectomy and also dark stool from swallowing small amounts of blood. This is no cause for alarm unless it continues or worsens.

Recovery – Your child’s tissue will be numb during the procedure. As the anesthetic wears off, your little one may be fussy. This should subside in a couple of days.

Eating – Eating may feel uncomfortable for a short time after treatment. Offer plenty of small meals to help keep your baby content.

Contact us – If you have any questions or concerns, it is always best to give us a call. Relieving your stress and answering your questions is an important part of the total patient care we provide.

LASER FRENECTOMY IN NEDERLAND, TEXAS

If your child needs a frenectomy in the southeast TX area, contact us to schedule. Dr. Whitney Gomez is experienced in soft tissue laser surgery and provides patients with excellent outcomes. Give our office a call today!