What Is the Expecting Lingual Frenectomy Recovery Time?
Up to 5% of new parents get some unnerving news from their doctor around their one month well-child check-up: for children with some sort of tongue tie, the idea of the lingual frenectomy is brought up. Adults can benefit from a lingual frenectomy as well, especially for orthodontic fittings, but a majority of the procedures are performed on children. The frenum is the little piece of skin that connects the tongue to the bottom part of the mouth and it keeps the tongue inside the mouth.
The lingual frenectomy is done to help correct small issues that can become big problems. Speech and tongue protrusion are often the reasons for this procedure. If you’re considering one for yourself or your child, a common question asked involves the typical lingual frenectomy recovery time. Here’s what you can expect:
It is necessary to begin using your tongue the next day.
The key to having a successful lingual frenectomy is to use your tongue as soon as possible. You’ll be able to eat and drink normally, but do your best to keep food out of the surgical area for the first few days. Don’t use a straw during your lingual frenectomy recovery time either, as this can create complications. Don’t be afraid to stick your tongue out at people too!
Don’t rinse your mouth out for the first 24 hours.
Though you shouldn’t rinse your mouth out, it is important to keep your mouth as clean as possible. That means carefully brushing your teeth without water the first day. After the first day, you can decrease your lingual frenectomy recovery time by adding a lukewarm salt water rinse three or four times to your daily routine.
Bruising around your tongue can last for a week… or sometimes more.
It is normal for your tongue to bruise and even change colors, turning purple or blue, at the site of the surgery. Taking NSAID pain relievers is often enough to relieve the discomfort from this bruising, but prescription painkillers are also utilized and will not increase recovery times.
Bleeding is normal after the procedure.
If you notice that the bleeding just won’t stop, use a sterile gauze pad and keep it up tightly against the surgical site for about 30 minutes to encourage the bleeding to stop. You may need to repeat this several times throughout the first day or two. If you struggle to keep the bleeding under control, you may wish to contact your oral surgeon.
Treat any severe swelling with ice chips.
The ice will help to reduce the swelling if it is placed underneath the tongue. Depending on the tolerance to cold, you can choose to keep the ice there or use it intermittently.
The typical lingual frenectomy recovery time is about a week for most people. After the first day of recovery, many can return to their normal activities of life, making sure that the surgical site is kept clean. This can then resolve speech issues, tongue location issues, and better secure orthodontic equipment. Use this guide as a reference to make sure your recovery goes smoothly too!