Infant Frenectomy

Normally, a child’s lingual frenulum separates before birth. In some instances, however, children are born with their lingual frenulum still attached to their tongue’s bottom. Although this issue can develop in any child, it is slightly more common among males. This can result in a variety of oral health issues, one of the most common being what is commonly referred to as being “tongue-tied”. Fortunately, this is a very simple issue to fix by performing a frenectomy. Although frenectomies have not historically been performed on infants, due to procedural advancements and more studies that support the efficacy and safety of the procedure, more and more infants have this procedure performed.

Benefits of Having the Procedure Performed

Although no one wants to hear that their infant needs to have a procedure performed, if you have been told that your child requires a frenectomy, this is actually a reason to celebrate, because this is a very simple and safe procedure that will result in your child having improved outcomes and avoiding developing additional issues down the road.

While the concern of developing issues later in life is an important one to consider, in most cases an infant frenectomy is performed to help the infant nurse. In most cases, a nursing baby will curl the underside of the mother’s breast with their tongue and draw the nipple and breast tissue into their throat while nursing. Infants who have issues with their frenum will experience limited movement and be unable to take the breast as deeply as they need to, which prevents them from latching.

If your infant exhibits any of the following, this may be an indication that they require a frenectomy:

• Difficulty nursing
• Latches but latch quick slides off while feeding
• Cheeks suck in while nursing
• Clicking sounds while nursing
• Heart-shaped tongue
• Insufficient weight gain

Other indications that your child may have an issue related to their frenectomy is if the mother has a low milk supply or nipple pain that is so severe, nursing is avoided.

Is a Frenectomy Necessary?

Although there are two schools of thought on whether a frenectomy should be performed on an infant, the benefits of having the procedure performed are many, and will result in a decreased risk of the following:

• Poor oral hygiene
• Developing a gap between front teeth
• Difficulty speaking .
• Difficulty licking an ice cream cone or kissing

While having concerns about the procedure is completely understandable, it should help to know that the procedure is fast and painless, so much so that most infants do not even realize it is happening. In many cases, the infant is swaddled while they sleep, their tongue is lifted, and the frenum is snipped. A follow up appointment will likely be necessary to ensure that everything looks right and is working correctly and that the child’s ability to nurse has been restored.

If you have any additional questions or concerns regarding this procedure, please share them with your periodontist, who will be happy to provide you with the information you need.

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