What Is An Abnormal Frenum? Is Frenectomy Necessary?

A frenum, or frenulum, is a small fold that keeps two tissues from separating or moving too far away from each other. They exist in several areas throughout the body, but the most commonly known frenums are beneath the tongue and under the upper lip. Babies are often born with frenums that are too tight, which then restrict the motion of the tongue and lip, inhibiting proper feeding and the development of the teeth and oral structures. An abnormal frenum causes a condition we call lip or tongue tie. It is corrected with a frenectomy, which Dr. Preetha Thomas specializes in at Enclave Dental.

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