Cutting the frenum of the tongue is a necessary procedure for some children. This is due to the fact that this thin film has an insufficient length.
A short bridle can form as a result of several factors. The main ones include complications during childbirth, a hereditary predisposition, pregnancy pathology.
Improper development of the frenulum can be detected by a pediatrician or dentist in early childhood, as well as a neonatologist in the maternity hospital. Too small fold does not allow the newborn to suckle properly. As a result, the baby does not receive enough food, is gaining weight poorly. In such cases, the frenum is trimmed. After the procedure, the baby is immediately applied to the chest. A possible disadvantage of this intervention is the possible formation of a rough scar. This necessitates a reoperation in the future.
Trimming the bridle at an early age prevents the child from mispronouncing individual sounds and letters. As a rule, the need for surgery arises after the baby is five years old. It should be remembered that the operation will make it possible to make free movements with the tongue, but it will not eliminate the speech therapy correction of pronunciation.
If trimming the frenulum is not done on time, then at a younger age, a short connective film can affect the growth of the lower jaw. Indications for intervention are determined by the orthodontist or speech therapist.
Often there is a short bridle of the upper lip. The fold fixes the attachment to the tissues of the upper jaw. The abnormal development of the frenulum significantly limits the mobility of the upper lip. This, in turn, causes a lot of problems.
In the process of muscle tension of the lips (when eating or talking, for example), the frenulum of the upper lip is tensioned. She, in turn, pulls up the gum of the central incisors. As a rule, this phenomenon leads to a gum recession in the central teeth from above: the neck of the teeth is exposed, sensitivity increases. These are quite unpleasant complications for a child in adolescence, provoking functional and aesthetic disorders.
The trimming of the frenulum of the upper lip should be done on time, otherwise the child may develop a malocclusion, and an ugly gap may form in the upper dentition.
Surgical intervention is performed after the eruption of the central upper incisors. Otherwise, there is a high risk of trauma to the rudiments of permanent teeth.
It is more expedient to trim the bridle to the child upon reaching the age of five or seven years. However, if there is evidence, this intervention can be performed at an older age.
It must be remembered that the bridle is not only a mucous membrane, but also a fibrous cord, which does not have elasticity. In this regard, to stretch a fold independently is useless. In most cases, independent activities only accelerate the manifestation of complications.
The frenum is trimmed using local anesthesia, so the procedure for the patient is painless. For the operation, special medical scissors are used. After cutting the folds, seams are applied. They subsequently resolve on their own.
After the intervention, you must adhere to the advice of a doctor. For the wound healing period, hard foods should be excluded from the diet. It is also recommended to limit conversations.
Surgery in adulthood has some difficulties. This is due to the filling of the frenulum with blood vessels.