Seeking Lingual Frenectomy from ENT

Good morning, @danc2050 A lingual frenectomy is a fairly easy and uncomplicated procedure that can usually be done in a dental office in about 15 minutes. Rarely, they can be a little more involved but that is something determined in the consultation.

For the frenectomy, the dentist or oral surgeon will apply a topical anesthetic to numb the area. Once numb, they’ll snip the frenum using a scalpel, surgical scissors, or a cauterizing instrument. If available some offices use a laser scalpel. Recovery time for an adult will take a little longer than a pediatric frenectomy but the mouth heals quickly.

This is such a common procedure, I wouldn’t expect you’d have to travel outside of your city of Vancouver. Have you spoken with your local dentist?

Hi @loribmt. Thank you so much for your reply! This was the conclusion of my research also, but when I went to a dentist in my area he basically said that since I didn't have a tongue-tie he wouldn't do it. He was a periodontist filling in for a dentist as that place was short a dentist at the time.

I don't want to pay for another consultation and be sent away...luckily my insurance covered that visit though. If anyone has a referral to someone who would do this procedure, I'd be much obliged.

Thank you,
Daniel

Hi Daniel, I’m not sure anyone in Connect could make that referral for you. Members in the forum are mostly people like you who have joined to find answers and support for a medical, personal or emotional issue.
I’m a retired certified dental assistant who came to Connect seeking information for my illness a few years ago and became a volunteer mentor. I don’t know any dentists in your area but I do know a periodontist wouldn’t be the person to perform that procedure for you.

What I’d suggest doing is to make a few phone calls to various dentists, dental colleges, or oral surgeons in your area to ask if they would do a frenectomy on an adult. I really don’t think this is anything that would require you making a trip outside your local area for treatment.
Just so you understand, there can be limitations for being able to clip the frenum depending on the size and how seriously it’s impeding the tongue from movement. If a doctor doesn’t feel it’s feasible then it’s not a matter of them not willing to do it, they simply can’t.

Have you tried checking with any other local dentists?

@loribmt

Thank you, Lori. I was encouraged by your response and reached out to another dentist.

She seemed like she would do it -- just noting that some physical therapy may be involved, so she wanted a consultation first.

Good to know on the potential limitations! That will be helpful to prepare myself for that possibility.

All the best,
Daniel

Good morning, Daniel. Thank you for the update! From my experience, I really felt a local dentist could do this procedure for you without having to travel out of state.

I’d really like to follow up with you to see how this all turned out, if that’s ok. When’s your consult?

Hi Lori,

I wanted to update you since you had asked for it.

I did follow through with the consult and she said I was tongue-tied. Unlike looking at a heart shaped tongue, they measured the range I was capable of when deciding if I was tongue-tied or not. I am still going through Myofunctional therapy, but have had the Lingual Frenectomy (after ~2 months of therapy) and the results turned out good! I can do things with my tongue I could not before -- like clean the back of my teeth and moving my tongue from one side of my mouth to another is way less constricted.

Thank you again for your encouragement to continue to look for quality professionals.

Hi Daniel! Wow, thank you for the update! I’m so happy for you…all that perseverance paid off! 🙃
I can’t imagine not having a full range of tongue movement that most of us take for granted. Just mentioning it had me checking with my tongue, of course. LOL. Having the frenectomy has made such a difference for you now. Thankfully there was a dentist who finally took you seriously and helped make this improvement to your life. Adding the myofunctional therapy was going the extra mile…she’s very professional and thoughtful. Thanks again for letting me know how this turned out for you!

Just curious, who did the frenectomy for you? Were you referred to an oral surgeon or was this done by the dentist?

A little late, but better late than never!

I went with Prestige Family Dentistry under the care of Dr. Melika Kashkouli. I hope that this helps someone else in my situation perhaps!