What does the frenulum do?
The main purpose of a frenum is to give the lower and upper lip, as well as the tongue proper support and more stability in your mouth. If you suffer from an oversized frenum, it can lead to various problems that can affect your teeth, gums, and mouth.
What is under the frenulum?
The lingual frenulum is a fold of mucus membrane that’s located under the center portion of your tongue. If you look in the mirror and lift up your tongue, you’ll be able to see it. The lingual frenulum helps to anchor your tongue in your mouth. Several conditions can affect the lingual frenulum and the area around it.
Do you need your frenulum?
The purpose of a frenum is to give the upper lip, lower lip, and tongue more stability in the mouth. When a frenum grows abnormally, it can cause cascading development issues within the mouth. Some conditions a person may experience if there’s a problem with a frenum include: developmental abnormalities in the mouth.
When should a frenulum be cut?
However, some experts recommend screening a person with a torn frenum for signs of physical or sexual abuse, as it can sometimes be a sign of abuse. If one or more of a person’s frenums get in the way of normal use of the mouth or tears repeatedly, an oral surgeon or your dentist may recommend surgical removal.
What is a normal frenulum?
A normal frenulum can act as a space holder between teeth and cause a gap, like elevator doors that close on you. The mere presence of tissue (like the guy in the red shirt) can hold the teeth apart.
Is it necessary to remove frenulum?
If you are uncircumcised, your frenulum should be intact and remain that way even after having sex. Some men have a short or tight frenulum, which can cause some discomfort, however even a short frenulum shouldn’t “break” during sex.
Do all babies have a frenulum?
Everyone has a lingual (tongue) frenulum and a labial (lip) frenulum, which means that if your baby has one, it doesn’t automatically mean that you are going to have breastfeeding challenges. It’s how the tongue and upper lip function that determine if the frenula are causing a problem.
Is it possible to have no frenulum?
Historically, the absence of lingual frenum was linked to multiple genetic and developmental conditions such as infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, non-syndromic ankyloglossia diseases, and Ehlers–Danlos syndromes and was never reported in otherwise healthy individuals.
Is a frenulum normal?
Can frenulum be removed?
A lingual frenectomy is a surgical procedure that removes the frenulum. During the operation, the surgeon makes a small cut on the frenulum to free up the tongue. The procedure may also be referred to as a frenuloplasty [FREN-yoo-loh-plass-tee].