The frenum in your mouth is the muscular attachment that connects two pieces of tissue in your mouth.

There are three frena (plural of frenum) in your mouth: one connects your tongue to the bottom of your mouth, and the other two, above and below your front teeth, connects the inside of your upper and lower lips to your gums.

A frenectomy may become necessary when improper development of one of the frenum adversely affects tooth and gum development or causes speech problems.

A frenectomy will loosen or cut the frena to allow proper development of your teeth or functioning of your tongue.

How do frena cause these problems?

As you mature, the upper frenum decreases in size. This allows room for your adult teeth to grow.

However, if the frenum fails to recede, it can create a gap between your two middle teeth. Gum disease may develop as the frenum pulls on the gums of the upper teeth.

If the lower frenum doesn’t recede and remains too tight, a child may be unable to properly breast feed. Pockets of capture milk may contribute to early tooth decay.

If the frenum that supports the base of your tongue does not loosen with age, you may experience speech problems or problems with eating.

If you or your child is experiencing any of the symptoms associated with frena problems, call us today on 020 8360 0500 and make an appointment for an assessment.