An oral frenulum is a band of fibrous connective tissue, muscle or both. It is covered by mucosa and runs from the alveolar ridge to the lining of the lip, tongue or cheek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Frenula connect the mouth to other mobile structures, such as the lip or tongue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Frenulum problems can occur in children and, if they are not treated, can persist into adulthood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Frenula don’t usually cause any trouble, but occasionally they can lead to prosthetic, speech, orthodontic or gum problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are three types of frenulum:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is a band of tissue running from the oral vestibule and the middle of the upper lip to the midline of the upper jaw.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This frenulum can cause a diastema, that is, a gap between the upper central incisors, especially in children who need early orthodontic treatment<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It can also make it harder to move the upper lip, which causes problems pronouncing certain words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Long frenula with an abnormal attachment are usually treated with surgery and orthodontics; this removes the frenulum and closes the gap between the teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because this structure attaches to the interdental papilla between the lower incisors, it can cause gum problems that later require a connective tissue graft, due to the lack of keratinised gum in that area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This increases the risk of gum inflammation and gum recession, which makes teeth look longer<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This frenulum connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth. If it is short, tongue movement is restricted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is probably the condition that worries parents most, as it is the most common in children and leads to reduced tongue mobility and problems with voice and speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To assess the degree of tongue-tie and whether treatment is needed, a very simple test is carried out to check whether the tip of the tongue can touch the palatal surface of the lower incisors with the mouth open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We also check how far the tongue can be stuck out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No treatment is needed if the tongue moves normally and speech develops without problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even so, a minor procedure is sometimes needed to snip the frenulum slightly and allow the tongue to move naturally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tongue-tie (ankyloglossia), or a short lingual frenulum, is when this frenulum hasn’t developed sufficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This frenulum connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth and is attached to the gum behind the lower teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It shows up as varying degrees of reduced tongue movement, which can affect both speech and chewing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Between the ages of 6 and 8, in cases of moderate tongue-tie, a conservative approach can be used, with mechanotherapy exercises to make the tongue move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, when tongue movement is only slightly restricted, seeing a speech therapist is enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLower lip frenulum<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Short lingual frenulum<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
But\u2026 what is tongue-tie?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n