Frenulumectomy.....3 year old....help...

[2Late2BCreative]

DS had his first visit to the dentist today. I was told he should have a frenulumectomy. DS does have a noticeable gap between his two top teeth. The dentist said that if we do not have it done, it could cause problems later on with a larger gap and possible braces. Does anyone have any experience with this type of situation?? Is it necessary? Can we wait till his baby teeth fall out? Is the best time, if at all, now so the adult teeth won't gap? What's the likelihood that IF we decide to do this that it will prevent a gap?? Sorry for so many questions...but it was hard to find answers when I Googled. Thanks so much!

[smeisnotapirate]

Hooo-ly! Sounds like that doctor's itching to do some surgery.

I had an ENORMOUS gap in my teeth when I was a kid. Adult teeth came in and - what do you know - it filled in.

This article: http://www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/U...Treatment.cvsp

Says a checkup before 7yoa and then the treatments probably won't start until later. Most of the things I've read (which, admittedly isn't much) use a frenulectomy as a PRECURSOR to braces, not as a substitute.

If I were you, I'd wait. Seems like the doctor's jumping the gun a bit, especially if your son isn't having a problem speaking or using his mouth.

BUT (and this is a big one) I'm not a doctor. Just someone whose "whistle" disappeared on its own.

Good luck

[Kinipela79]

I'm no expert but I think I would be inclined to wait until the adult teeth came in.

[mom2jack]

I had a gap in my teeth growing up and had a frenulectomy when I was 15. You can barely see that I had a gap in my teeth now. I never had braces but I did have retainers to straighten teeth and make space growing up prior to the frenulectomy. I don't know why you couldn't wait:

[beanma]

2late, i don't have too much advice, but our dentist noticed it with our three yr old, too, and did not want to schedule a snippage right away or anything. she mentioned that sometimes it breaks on it's own (if they fall or something), but we would probably want to have that taken care of at some point (she was more specific, but i heard "not now" and that's all i filed away).

my dh did have braces and does still have a small gap (nowhere near david letterman sized) btwn his two top teeth. it really doesn't bother me and i don't know if we'll do anything or not. seems like it's down the road somewhat for us. i didn't have braces and have no front teeth gap (although a mouthful of fillings, but that's another issue.)

[guestmama9908]

I would urge you to wait.

I had a dentist as a child that said the same thing so my parents had the frenulumectomy performed. Then the guy wanted to pull all of my baby teeth at once so that they could get braces in right away. So they pulled 8 teeth in one sitting.

I then had three oral surgeries performed by that same dentist for different "problems" he found that I had.

I went to see a different dentist as an older teen. He was able to determine by looking at my mouth and records that many of the procedures were completely unwarranted. I was just a cash cow for the original dentist.

I was put through a whole lot of unnecessary pain and trauma as a young child. It was horribly scary for me.

If the problem still exists after the adult teeth come in then you could have it done. I just don't see a reason to do it now.

[hottmama]

My toddler used to have a huge gap between his front teeth, but he fell while chewing on a pen and it tore. It was a scary, bloody mess but what do you know? The gap in his teeth went away after that! And I think it helped his latch a bit, too.
It might work to close the gap, but if it's a serious surgery, I'd wait. Maybe you could give him a pen and tell him to walk around chewing on it.

[2Late2BCreative]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.....I feel so much better hearing your replies. I often wonder about the whole 'cash cow' thing...how awful what happened to you C&Es momma....that's just disgusting that a doctor would do such a thing. DS's dentist said it was it simple procedure using a laser...no shots just topical stuff and healing was quick. I am inclined to wait till his adult teeth come in. The frenulum was very long when he was an infant..didn't affect latch. He does have a speech "issue" with articulation and is recieving therapy for that but I asked the evaluating team if the frenulum had anything to do with it. They said no. When DS was about 18-24 mos, he had a toothbrush in this mouth and DD bumped into him causing the frenulum to tear and bleed but it didn't correct anything. The dentist said he would have to laser the skin between the teeth and then cauterize. I am going to hold off and reevaluate in a few years. Thanks, again ,for the replies. You have put my mind at ease. Much appreciation.

[PGTlatte]

I didn't know a gap was a big deal....fortunately my parents and our dentist didn't either I guess, as I used to think it was fun to stick a quarter in between my front teeth and walk around with it in there ! My adult teeth also came in with a gap and it closed up by itself with no procedures, no braces, just natural forward migration of my teeth and me keeping my pocket change out of there !

[Datura]

Lol, I used to be able to stick my tongue out at people between my two front teeth! And put not one, but TWO straws in there to drink with, side by side. I thought I was hot stuff til a mean old lady in my family started making horrible comments.

I'm pretty sure that I never had that procedure done. My baby teeth fell out and my adult ones were crooked but not quite as gapped. Standard braces fixed it up pretty well.

[javamama]

My DD has the same thing, our dentist said to leave it alone. Apparently, the scarring can sometimes cause a bigger problem than the frenulum itself.

In the end we had it done at 8yo because it was tight and causing her pain. Her teeth are still far apart and we can't do anything about it until the rest of her permanent teeth come in. Then it will be her choice if she wants to close the gap. She kind of likes them the way they are.

[zmom]

We had a dentist recommend that when we took our DD to the dentist at about 1.5 years old. He wanted to do it then and I was like, "No way!" Our new dentist (we ditched the other one) hasn't said a word about it. DD is now 3 and it doesn't seem to have affected her speech at all. If she needs braces after her adult teeth come in, we'll address it then and she can help decide what she wants to do.

[maya44]

Is his fremulum short? Can he easily put his tounge out of his mouth? Can he swipe his tounge around all of the inner reaches on his gums?

If the answer to these is "no" I'd do a frenulumectormy to give him more movement. Pushing on the front teeth is just one side effect of a short frenlum. Kids whose frenulums are too short also can have gum problems (because they can't clean the inside of their mouths the way other do.)

I'd have an expereinced PEDIATRIC oral surgeon, do it though. NOt your dentist.

[Nan'sMom]

I had it done on dd1 for nursing issues but dd2 has the same thing and nurses fine and I plan to leave it. My thought is that if she wants to do it when she is older and decides for herself, fine. Otherwise, I am not too worried about a gap between front teeth. Not my body so not my decision is my thought.

[ledzepplon]

Originally Posted by javamama

My DD has the same thing, our dentist said to leave it alone. Apparently, the scarring can sometimes cause a bigger problem than the frenulum itself.

Yes, a head and neck surgeon told us this as well. He said it would be a cosmetic procedure if we had it done. We opted not to.

[momto l&a]

I had a huge gap as a child. All of my adult teeth came in and now the gap is gone.

IMO its something to wait and see.