How We Approach a Frenectomy in Brentwood
We use a soft tissue laser for most releases, which generally means less bleeding and a shorter recovery than older methods. Dr. Doug McMillan reviews each case with an intraoral camera so you can see exactly what’s being treated before the procedure starts, and we walk through what the tissue looks like, why it’s causing trouble, and what changes once it’s released.
Every case gets evaluated on its own terms. A restrictive frenulum in a newborn looks and behaves differently from one in a twelve-year-old or an adult, so the exam and the conversation that follows are tailored to the age and the specific complaint.
Who Actually Needs This Procedure
Not every tight frenulum needs treatment, and part of our job is helping you figure out whether yours does. A few common patterns we see:
- Newborns who have a hard time latching, slip off during feeding, or cause nipple pain for a nursing parent.
- Kids with speech sounds that don’t form clearly, or a visible band of tissue pulling under the tongue.
- Adults notice gum recession, spacing between the front teeth, or irritation where the lip pulls against the gum.
If any of that sounds familiar, an exam is the fastest way to get a real answer instead of guessing.
What the Appointment Actually Involves
We keep the process simple and try not to make it feel bigger than it is. A typical visit includes a short exam, imaging when appropriate, and either local anesthetic or nitrous oxide, depending on age and comfort level. The laser release itself usually takes under 20 minutes, and most patients are back to normal activities within a day or two. Infants often feed noticeably better right away.
For a fuller picture of how this fits alongside our other offerings, our dental services page covers the full scope of what we treat, and our family and general dentistry care handles everything that comes before and after a release, from routine checkups to the follow-up work that keeps results stable.
Recovery and Keeping the Tissue From Reattaching
Soreness for a day or two afterward is normal, and it usually fades quickly. The part that matters most for long-term success is the stretching exercises we teach for the tongue or lip, which help prevent the tissue from reattaching as it heals. We send written aftercare instructions home and schedule a follow-up to check on progress, so nothing gets left to guesswork.
For older kids and adults, we sometimes suggest coordinating with a speech therapist if a tongue tie has been affecting how certain sounds form. The release addresses the physical restriction, but sound patterns that have been in place for years sometimes need a bit of extra work to be fully correct.
Answering the Questions We Hear Most
Pain control comes up in nearly every consultation, and it’s a fair thing to ask about. We use topical numbing and local anesthetics for the procedure itself, with nitrous oxide available for older children and adults who want it. Parents often ask whether the release is permanent, and the honest answer is that the tissue itself is altered, but consistent stretching afterward is what keeps it from tightening back up.
If you want a sense of the kind of outcomes we typically see, our smile gallery includes cases beyond just frenectomies, which can still give you a feel for the level of care and attention that goes into treatment here.
Finding Us
Our office is easy to reach from most parts of town. You can pull up directions here or check our location and recent reviews if you want a better sense of what other patients have experienced before booking your own visit. You can also read more about our background and approach on our about us page.
Have Questions First? Let’s Talk Before You Book
If you’re still not sure whether a frenectomy is the right next move, that’s a completely normal place to be. Reach out through our contact page and describe what you’re noticing, whether it’s a feeding struggle, a speech concern, or something with the gums, and we’ll help you figure out whether an exam makes sense. When you’re ready to move forward, you can go ahead and request an appointment directly; there’s no need to call first if you’d rather handle it online.