During the consultation with your periodontist, the need for a frenectomy will be discussed considering:

• limited lip or tongue movement,

• breastfeeding difficulty (a breast feeding consultant will also be consulted,

• speech problems,

• gum recession,

• gap between front teeth (here the orthodontist or dentist would have referred you to have the procedure done at the right time.

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Once you’ve decided to have the procedure done, you don’t have to fast or change your diet on the day before or the day of the procedure. All you have to do is show up. 

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However, if sedation is being done you should stop eating or drinking at least 6-8 hours before the procedure and you do need to arrange a ride to and from your appointment. You’ll be given medications for pain and discomfort that may make it unsafe for you to drive, so you’ll need to ride home with a friend or use a car service.

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Please discuss your chronic medications and vitamins (especially omega 3 & 6) taken with your periodontist to make sure that you do not have any excessive bleeding risk. 

Now, we'll go over what you can expect in surgery so that you're fully prepared and confident as you or your child will go into frenectomy procedure. Here's a general sequence of events that take place during surgery after the area is numbed:

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1. The frenum is carefully cut or modified using a scalpel, surgical scissors, a laser or electrosurgery.

2. In some cases stitches (sutures) may be needed to close the wound.

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The duration of the procedure is usually short, about 30 minutes, but depends on how many frenae needs to be removed and the size of the attachment.

Does frenectomy surgery hurt?

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You’ll be numb during your frenectomy surgery, so you won’t feel anything during the procedure. You’ll probably have mild soreness after your procedure, but your periodontist will give you medications and post-surgical instructions to help minimise your discomfort.

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What’s the frenectomy recovery timeline?

Your surgeon will probably want to check on your surgical site two weeks later. 

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During this time, they’ll provide you with specific instructions. In general, here’s what you can expect:

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The first few days

Expect some soreness, swelling and possibly minor bleeding. The area should begin to heal in a day or two. Take all medications exactly as prescribed by your surgeon. Get lots of rest and avoid strenuous activities.

Eat soft, cool foods, such as yogurt, pudding or smoothies.

Keep the surgical area clean using an antibacterial mouthwash. Don’t brush or floss directly on the surgical area, as this can delay healing and damage the stitches. (You can brush and floss your other teeth as your comfort level allows.)

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Don't panic when you see a yellow-white membrane covering the area, this is a normal part of the healing process.

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The first week

Bleeding should subside within the first 24 hours to 48 hours. Swelling and pain will continue for three to four days. These side effects are normal and should subside within the week. Continue taking all medications as prescribed.

You can incorporate more soft foods into your diet as you’re able, including things like eggs, pasta, fish and cooked vegetables.

Gently brush your teeth near the surgical site, but don’t brush directly on your gums. Don’t brush or floss around the surgical site until your surgeon says it’s safe.

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The second week

Swelling should begin to fade, and your comfort level should continue to improve. Ask your surgeon when it’s safe to begin decreasing your medication dosage.

As your comfort level improves, you can incorporate more solid foods. However, you should still avoid hard, crunchy or spicy foods until your surgeon clears you.

Once your surgeon says it’s safe to do so, you can resume normal brushing and flossing.

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How long does it take to recover from a frenectomy?

Every person heals differently, but on average two to four weeks.one week to two weeks. 

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Infants can usually resume feeding immediately after the procedure and will be prescribe pain medication.

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Adults may need to limit their diet to soft foods for a few days and will be prescribed pain medication

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When can I resume normal routines?

You should avoid exercise, heavy lifting and other strenuous exertions for at least the first week. These activities increase your heart rate and can lead to more discomfort, bleeding and swelling. Be sure to clear it with your surgeon before you resume these activities.

Most people can return to work or school in one day to two days.

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Bleeding

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• It is normal to expect some minor bleeding, even though it will be sufficiently controlled during the procedure.

• Any provided gauze should be kept in your mouth for about 1-2 hours, but you can replace it as needed.

• If bleeding continues, you can manually apply pressure or gently bite down on the gauze over the site; a wet teabag can also be used if you run out of gauze.

• It is also important to avoid intense rinsing and spitting for at least the first 24 hours in order to aid blood clot stabilization.

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Swelling

 

• You can expect to swell to some degree, this is normal and is nothing to worry about.

• The swelling usually reaches a peak in about 3-4 days so do not worry if it continues to swell.

• Use of ice packs for the first 48 hours and application of moist heat after 48 hours can minimize the swelling. Please post-operative instructions section for more detail.​

• If swelling or jaw stiffness has persisted for several days, there is no cause for alarm. This is a normal reaction to surgery. 

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Pain

 

• The amount of pain that you feel varies from patient to patient.

• Some level of discomfort is to be expected from any oral surgical procedure.

• To stay ahead of the discomfort, you should take the first dose of pain medication before the local anesthesia wears off.

• If you do have a lot of pain it may indicate an infection and should be checked.

Bruising

 

• Bruising over the face, eye, and neck can occurs rarely and is nothing to worry about.

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Sutures

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• Stitches are used to close the gums back together.

• Doctors may use either dissolvable or non-dissolvable stitches, depending on your particular case.

• The dissolvable variety will begin to disintegrate in 10 - 14 days, while the doctor will remove the non-dissolvable type at the first or second post-operative visit.

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Diet and chewing

 

• After your surgery, you will have to maintain a SOFT diet for at least 2 weeks.

• A diet of soft foods will serve to minimize trauma to the surgical sites, and this can have a positive effect on healing.

• Sometimes an even longer period of time is necessary, and the doctor will inform you if the period needs to be longer or if a liquid diet is required.

• Try to chew on sides not affected by surgery when possible.

Rinsing

 

• Mouthwash should be used regularly to lower the chances of infection,

• Do not dilute the mouthwash, it is to be used twice a day 30 minutes after you brush your teeth to prevent inactivation of the mouth rinse active ingredients by the toothpaste. Rinse your mouth for one minute then spit out.

• Do not rinse, brush, or eat for at least an hour after using mouth wash.

Medication

 

• If antibiotics are prescribed, please use it as per prescription instructions.

• Anti-inflammatory painkillers are important to reduce the level of discomfort as well as to reduce the swelling. These must be taken even if you do not feel any discomfort. Take 2 tablets/capsules immediately after surgery and then two tablets 4 – 6 hourly thereafter.

Other instructions

 

• You must eat soft foods like soups and yogurts etc. for at least one week.

• Use of ice packs for the first 48 hours can minimize the swelling.

  • The ice packs provided by our office (or bags of frozen peas) should be applied to the sides of the face continuously while awake where surgery was performed.

  • After 48 hours, ice has no beneficial effect, then moist heat can be applied to the respective area.

• No exercise for at least 3 days.

Tooth brushing & flossing/interdental brushes

 

• Avoid the surgical area with a toothbrush for 10 - 14 days.

• Start brushing gently as soon as you can.

• Brush all other areas that have not been treated and try to dislodge any food that may be sitting in the area of the surgical site.

• No flossing or interdental cleaning with brushes for 12 weeks.

 

Dentures & Prostheses

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• Partial dentures, flippers, or full dentures should not be used immediately after surgery until your post-operative appointment unless specifically instructed otherwise.

• When it is placed it should not touch the gums in the area of the surgery. If it does, this can cause ulceration of the wound edges and breakdown of the suture margins. 

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* This list serves merely as a guideline should you encounter any of these complications. Please call us if anything worries you. We will easily
be able to put your mind at rest.

What are the risks or complications of a frenectomy?

Complications following surgery are uncommon, but they can happen. Possible complications include:

• Infection.

• Excessive bleeding.

• Reattachment of the lip or tongue.

If you notice heavy bleeding, pus or anything else that doesn’t look right, contact your surgeon right away.