Frenectomy Aftercare: Common Questions From Parents
Most of the frenectomies I perform are on infants, and older children sometimes benefit from one before orthodontic treatment. For babies and older kids alike, the Solea® laser frees the lip or tongue tie quickly and precisely, with no stitches to care for afterward.
The healing itself happens at home. The mouth heals quickly and the frenulum can reattach, so the attention you give the area over the next several weeks plays a big part in the result.
The First Few Days
Feeding and Comfort for Babies After a Frenectomy
You don't have to wait to feed your baby. Babies can nurse right after the procedure, and feeding right away can help comfort them. Frequent feeds and cuddles over the next few days can also soothe the area and support healing.
Some families notice better feeding right away, while for others it improves over one to two weeks. Our Solea laser frees lip and tongue ties with little to no bleeding, but if you do notice bleeding at home, hold clean gauze against the area with firm pressure for five to ten minutes while keeping your baby upright. If it doesn't stop, call us right away or go to the nearest emergency room.
To ease discomfort afterward, you can carefully apply a cube of frozen breast milk to the area, but check with your pediatrician first. Talk with your pediatrician before giving any pain medication as well, especially if your baby is younger than eight weeks old.
Preventing Reattachment
Why Stretches Matter After a Frenectomy
Because the mouth heals so quickly, a released frenulum can reattach. Stretches help prevent that, which makes them a key part of aftercare.
For babies, we recommend using clean hands to stretch the upper lip or tongue every four hours for four weeks. Whatever your child's age, our team will give you detailed instructions after the frenectomy, so you know what each stretch involves.
The maxillary labial frenum
This band connects the upper lip to the gum tissue above the front teeth.
Older children may also be given tongue exercises, which can improve how well the tongue moves and lower the chance of scarring. In our video, you'll see how the Solea laser treats lip and tongue tie, and why stretching afterward helps maintain the results.
The Following Weeks
What the Treatment Site Looks Like as It Heals
Keep the area around the frenum clean, make sure no food stays near the treatment site, and keep up with your child's regular dental care. A frenectomy takes several weeks to heal. For the first couple of days, the site often looks like a red, diamond-shaped opening. A few days in, a white-to-yellow patch forms over it, and that patch can take a few weeks to disappear completely. If your baby has jaundice, the wound may look bright yellow or orange. This color change is painless and shouldn't affect feeding.
Day 0
Laser release
The site looks like a red, diamond-shaped opening for the first couple of days.
Healing
A patch forms
A white-to-yellow patch may form over the site. It's a wet scab, not an infection.
Day 7
Peak size
The patch is typically at its largest about a week in.
After
Patch shrinks
It shrinks over the following weeks as the skin heals underneath.
Be gentle with the scab, and follow the detailed stretching instructions our team gives you. The frenulum can reattach, so stretches are an important part of healing.
Warning Signs
When to Call Our Office After a Frenectomy
Complications are rare, but it helps to know what to watch for in the weeks after your child's procedure.
Important
Call us promptly if you notice:
- A swollen, red, or inflamed wound
- A temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher
- Reluctance to feed or eat
- Unusual sleepiness or irritability
- Bleeding that doesn't stop with firm pressure
- Feeding less in the two to three weeks after the procedure, which can be a sign of scar tissue forming
Flecks of swallowed blood in spit-up or diapers are nothing to worry about.
Not sure whether you should be concerned? Never hesitate to call our office at (972) 284-1695.
After the First Weeks
Follow-Up Visits and Long-Term Results
You'll return for follow-up appointments, where I examine the treatment site to make sure there are no complications and the area is healing properly.
A baby's ability to feed comfortably can keep improving for a while after the procedure. Full improvement in latch and comfort can take anywhere from several days to six weeks as new muscles develop, and some infants need speech therapy to gain full tongue movement. Checking in with a lactation consultant during the first week after the procedure can also help with latching issues.
If your older child is having a frenectomy for speech concerns, it's a good idea to see a speech-language pathologist before the procedure. An expert panel from the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) agreed in a 2020 consensus statement that some older children with tongue tie issues experience improved quality of life after treatment.
Age, Cost, and Safety
Frenectomy Questions From Parents
Is my child too old for a frenectomy?
No. The AAO-HNS panel agreed there is no maximum age for a tongue tie release. At the consultation, I examine your child's frenum and recommend treatment.
Will insurance cover my child's frenectomy?
Some plans contribute to the cost because of the procedure's health benefits, but not all of them do. We accept most types of insurance and can determine your coverage before the procedure.
For costs insurance doesn't cover, we offer in-house financing plans and accept CareCredit®.
Is a frenectomy safe?
The AAO-HNS panel describes lingual frenotomy, a type of tongue tie release, as generally a safe and well-tolerated procedure. Follow-up visits let me confirm that healing stays on track.
Schedule a Frenectomy Consultation
Don't hesitate to reach out. I'll examine your child's mouth, answer your questions, and recommend treatment.