A Dentist's Concern With The Frenulum
The labial frenulum and the lingual frenulum can affect a baby's ability to
suck and therefore obtain nourishment, a child's speech progression, and the placement of the baby teeth which is the main purpose for the placement of the frenula.
If at birth, your baby's pediatrician notices issues with your child's labial or lingual frenulum, you may be visiting the dentist way before you ever see a tooth emerge. The labial frenulum is the piece of skin that attaches the top lip to the gum above the top teeth. If this piece of anatomy is short, and, in turn causes interference with suckling, there may be an immediate need for a simple and effective operation to correct the condition. However, if your baby is able to eat normally, the condition only need to be monitored, and often times a pediatrician will work together with a referred dentist to determine if treatment will be needed as the baby teeth begin to emerge and as the child begins to acquire speech.
The operation to correct the condition is so simple that often pediatricians recommend a watch and wait game. It is suggested that a toddler tumble will eventually self-correct the issue---that is that an inevitable fat lip will one day bust the frenulum loose. A dentist, however, may prefer to watch mouth more carefully, as it is believed that the purpose of this piece of skin is to guide the baby teeth into proper position, and this is the area where dental concerns would arise.
When the lingual frenulum, the stretch of skin connecting the bottom of the tongue to the bottom of the mouth, is short the condition is known as ankyloglossitis, or tongue-tied. Though this phrase is often used in non-standard language to describe someone who stammers when asked a question, it really just means that this particular piece of skin is short and may contribute to articulation issues as the child acquires speech. It is of concern to a dentist as he will be the one to perform the operation if a determination is made that a correction is needed; however, a speech therapist, who will work diligently to teach the child to compensate for the condition, will likely be the one to suggest inquiring about the procedure. And, ultimately it is the parent's decision as some are not as bothered by inarticulation disorders as others may be.
Most often, as previously mentioned, this condition will self-correct, but a good relationship among a child's pediatrician, dentist, parent, and speech therapist will help determine the specific needs of each individual child.
by: Abigail Aaronson
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