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| Frenectomy | |
|---|---|
 Lingual frenectomy performed on a 5-year-old boy using a LightScalpel 10,600 nm CO2 laser. The photos show the frenum under the tongue immediately before the procedure and the surgical site immediately after. | |
| Other names | frenulectomy or frenotomy) |
A frenectomy is the removal of a frenulum, a small fold of tissue that prevents an organ in the body from moving too far. It can refer to frenula in several places on the human body. It is related to frenuloplasty, a surgical alteration in a frenulum. Done mostly for orthodontic purposes, a frenectomy is either performed inside the middle of the upper lip, which is called labial frenectomy, or under the tongue, called lingual frenectomy. Frenectomy is a very common dental procedure that is performed on infants, children, and adults. A similar procedure frenulotomy is where a tight frenulum may be relieved by making an incision in the tight tissue.