Frenectomy in San Jose, CA
 If a restrictive band of tissue under your tongue or behind your upper lip is making it hard to speak clearly, eat comfortably, fit a denture, or close a gap between your front teeth, a frenectomy at South Valley Oral and Facial Surgery in San Jose, CA can release that tissue in a short, predictable in-office procedure.
A frenectomy modifies one of the small folds of soft tissue called frena that connect the lip to the gum, the cheek to the gum, or the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth. When one of those bands is too tight or attached in the wrong place, it can interfere with function or with other dental treatment.
Most of the frenectomies our team performs are for adults referred by their general dentist, orthodontist, or periodontist for a specific functional problem. Adult tongue-tie can affect speech and eating in ways that go unrecognized for years. A tight labial frenum can pull on the gums, widen a diastema between the upper central incisors, or destabilize the fit of a denture or partial. Our surgeons evaluate the soft-tissue anatomy carefully before recommending a release, and the procedure itself usually takes 15 to 30 minutes.
If you have an infant or younger child who needs evaluation for a frenectomy, we can discuss whether our team is the right fit during your call. Our practice is oral and maxillofacial surgery, not pediatric dentistry, and many infant cases are best managed by a pediatric specialist or lactation-focused provider. For older children and teens referred by an orthodontist, we routinely coordinate timing with the orthodontic phase of care. Our dentoalveolar surgery team also handles related soft-tissue and bone procedures in the same office.
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What Is a Frenectomy?
 A frenectomy is the surgical release of a frenum, which is one of several small folds of tissue inside the mouth that connect mobile structures (lip, tongue, cheek) to the underlying gum or floor of the mouth. The two most common variants are the lingual frenectomy, which releases the band beneath the tongue, and the labial frenectomy, which releases the band between the inner lip and the gum. The goal is the same in both cases: free up motion or eliminate the pulling effect of a band that’s either too tight or attached too close to the gum line.
Our surgeons perform the procedure under local anesthesia in our San Jose office. Depending on the case, they use either a soft-tissue dental laser or a fine surgical instrument. The laser approach is well suited to smaller, well-defined releases and tends to involve very little bleeding and minimal need for sutures. A conventional surgical approach is sometimes preferred for larger or more complex releases, particularly when the band has dense fibrous attachments or when a small graft of adjacent tissue helps the area heal in a more stable position. Our team selects the technique based on what the anatomy actually needs, not on a one-size-fits-all default.
Lingual Frenectomy for Tongue-Tie
The lingual frenum is the band of tissue you can see when you lift your tongue. When that band is short, thick, or attached too far forward, tongue movement is restricted, a condition often called tongue-tie or ankyloglossia. Adult patients describe symptoms that range from articulation difficulty with specific consonants to trouble clearing food from the roof of the mouth, persistent soreness from compensating jaw movements, and sleep-related concerns connected to tongue posture. A lingual frenectomy releases the restriction so the tongue can move through its full normal range.
Labial Frenectomy for Lip-Tie and Other Indications
A labial frenectomy releases an upper or lower lip frenum that is causing a specific problem. The most common indications we see are a wide gap between the upper front teeth that orthodontic treatment alone has not been able to close, gum recession driven by the pull of a low-attaching frenum on the gum margin, and instability of an upper denture caused by a frenum that lifts the denture every time the lip moves. Periodontists also refer patients for labial frenectomy as part of impacted tooth exposure or other gum-stabilizing work.
Is a Frenectomy Right for You?
A frenectomy is appropriate when a frenum is producing a measurable problem that other approaches cannot fix. That usually means a referring provider has identified the frenum as the cause, or that you have a specific functional concern, such as poor denture fit or speech limitation, that points to the frenum as the likely culprit. Our team examines the area in person, reviews any imaging or prior treatment notes, and confirms whether a release is the right next step before scheduling the procedure. We will tell you honestly if the frenum is not the real problem.
Your San Jose Frenectomy Team
Dr. Joseph McMurray, DMD, MBA, FACOMS, founded the practice’s Gilroy office in 1997 and has been performing oral and maxillofacial surgery for more than 35 years, including 11 years of active duty service with the U.S. Navy. He brings extensive experience with soft-tissue procedures from a long career covering everything from minor releases to complex reconstructive work. Full background on Dr. McMurray’s bio.
Dr. Arian Chehrehsa, DDS, ABOMS, NDBA, is dual board-certified in both Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Anesthesiology. He grew up in San Jose, trained at NYU Dental and Montefiore Medical Center, and now leads regional study clubs on full-arch implant surgery. For frenectomy patients, his anesthesiology background means he can adjust comfort options for adults who have a history of difficulty with dental procedures. More on Dr. Chehrehsa’s bio.
Between them, our surgeons have performed frenectomies for adults presenting with denture-fit problems, speech issues, post-orthodontic diastema relapse, gum recession, and referrals from pediatric and family dentists in the San Jose, Gilroy, and Los Banos areas. We coordinate with your referring provider when one is involved so the release fits into the overall treatment plan.
What to Expect From Your Frenectomy Procedure
Most adult frenectomies follow the same general arc, with the actual surgical portion taking only a few minutes once the area is fully numb.
Consultation and Evaluation
Your first visit is a focused exam of the frenum, the surrounding gum, the tooth roots in the area, and any related soft-tissue or orthodontic concern. We review your medical history, the symptoms that brought you in, and any notes from the referring provider. If imaging is needed to rule out related problems, we use in-office 3D cone beam imaging. By the end of the visit you will know whether a frenectomy is recommended, which technique we plan to use, and approximately how long the appointment will run.
Numbing the Area
On the day of the procedure, we apply a topical numbing gel first and then deliver local anesthesia directly to the frenum and surrounding tissue. For most adults, local anesthesia alone is more than enough for a comfortable procedure. If you experience dental anxiety or have had difficulty with prior dental work, our team also offers sedation dentistry options in the same visit, which Dr. Chehrehsa is specifically trained to provide and monitor.
The Release Itself
With the area fully numb, our surgeon releases the frenum using either a soft-tissue laser or a fine surgical instrument. A laser release usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes per site, seals small blood vessels as it works, and typically needs no sutures. A conventional release takes a similar amount of time but may include a few small dissolvable sutures, particularly for a labial frenectomy where the new gum margin needs to be guided into a more favorable position. You feel pressure during the release, not pain.
Aftercare and Healing
You leave the office with simple written instructions: a soft-food diet for the first day or two, gentle saltwater rinses starting the next day, and a short series of tongue or lip stretches if we want the released area to heal in an open position rather than reattaching. Most patients return to normal eating within a few days and to full normal speech and lip motion within one to two weeks. For lingual releases, a referral to a myofunctional therapist or speech-language pathologist sometimes helps the tongue learn to use its new range of motion, and we will recommend that next step when it’s appropriate.
Benefits of a Frenectomy
 A well-indicated frenectomy resolves a specific problem that has often been bothering the patient for years.
For lingual releases, the most consistent improvement is in tongue mobility. Patients describe being able to clear food from the back of the mouth more easily, articulate certain consonants more cleanly, and experience less jaw and neck soreness from the compensatory movements they had developed to work around the restriction. For labial releases done to close a midline diastema, the gap typically holds its closed position with far less orthodontic relapse. For denture patients, the upper plate stops being lifted out of place every time the lip moves, which can transform daily life with the appliance.
- Restored Tongue Mobility – Eating, swallowing, and speech mechanics improve as the tongue moves through its full range.
- More Stable Orthodontic Result – Diastema closure tends to hold once the pulling frenum is no longer pulling the front teeth apart.
- Better Denture Fit and Function – A released labial frenum lets the upper plate seat properly against the gum tissue.
- Reduced Gum Recession Pressure – Removing the frenum’s pull on a gum margin protects the surrounding periodontal tissue.
- Short Procedure, Short Recovery – Most adults are back to a normal diet within a few days and back to full mouth function within two weeks.
The improvement is often most striking for patients who didn’t realize how much the restriction had shaped their daily habits until it was gone.
Why Choose Our Team for Your Frenectomy
A frenectomy is a small procedure, but doing it well requires the same anatomical understanding that goes into larger soft-tissue and bone work. Our surgeons perform soft-tissue releases as part of a much broader oral and maxillofacial surgery practice, which means we see the related conditions every week and know when a frenectomy alone will solve the problem and when it needs to be paired with something else.
Patients are typically referred to us from general dentists, orthodontists, and periodontists across the South Bay and Central Valley, including practices in San Jose, Gilroy, Morgan Hill, Hollister, Los Banos, and Merced. We coordinate with the referring office so the timing of the release matches the overall treatment plan, and we send a clear post-operative report back to that office.
Comfort options matter for a procedure where most of the anxiety is anticipatory. Dr. Chehrehsa’s anesthesiology training gives us in-office sedation options for adults who have had difficulty tolerating dental work in the past, and our team takes time to explain each step before it happens so there are no surprises during the appointment. More about our team and approach on our About Us.
Frenectomy Cost and Insurance
Cost is a fair question on a procedure that’s often classified differently by different insurance carriers. The cost of a frenectomy depends on which frenum is being released, whether the technique is laser or conventional, whether sedation is involved, and whether the release is part of a coordinated treatment plan with an orthodontist or restorative dentist. We give you a written estimate after the consultation, before any procedure is scheduled, so you can review it with your insurance carrier first if you choose to.
Insurance coverage varies. Some medical plans cover frenectomy when it is documented as medically necessary for speech, swallowing, or denture function. Some dental plans cover it under oral surgery benefits. Our front office team verifies your specific benefits and can usually tell you within a day or two what your plan will and will not contribute. More on our accepted plans and insurance and financing options.
If your benefits leave a gap or your plan does not cover the procedure, we offer flexible payment options so the cost is manageable. Call our office to request a personalized estimate and to discuss financing.
Schedule Your Frenectomy Consultation
A consultation is the fastest way to find out whether a frenectomy is the right next step. Call us at 408-479-9449 or request an appointment online. Our San Jose office is at 5595 Winfield Blvd Suite 202, San Jose, CA 95123. For directions and office hours, see our office locations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the frenectomy hurt?
The area is fully numb before the release begins, so the procedure itself is not painful. Most patients describe a sensation of brief pressure during the few minutes the surgeon is working. After the local anesthesia wears off, soreness is usually mild and well controlled with over-the-counter pain relievers and a soft-food diet for the first day or two.
How long does the procedure take?
Plan for about 30 to 45 minutes in the office on the day of the procedure, with the surgical portion itself usually taking 5 to 15 minutes per release. Most of the visit is intake, numbing, and post-operative instructions rather than the release itself.
Will I need stitches?
Laser releases rarely need stitches because the laser seals the tissue as it works. A conventional release, particularly a labial frenectomy where the gum margin needs to be guided into a new position, often involves a few small dissolvable sutures that fall out on their own within a week or two. The technique we choose for your case determines whether sutures are needed.
Is a laser frenectomy better than a conventional one?
Neither approach is universally better. The laser is well suited to smaller, well-defined releases and tends to result in less bleeding and no sutures. The conventional approach is sometimes preferable for larger or more complex releases where the surgeon needs more direct control over the final tissue position. Our team chooses the technique that fits the specific anatomy, not the other way around.
Can adults benefit from a frenectomy, or is this only for kids?
Most of the frenectomies we perform are on adults. Many adults have lived with a restrictive frenum for decades without realizing it was the source of their speech, eating, or denture-fit problem. Releasing the frenum as an adult does not undo every adaptation the body has made over the years, but it consistently improves the specific functional issue tied to that band of tissue.
Does insurance cover a frenectomy?
Some medical plans cover frenectomy when it is documented as medically necessary, while dental plans more often cover it under oral surgery benefits. Coverage varies by plan and by the documented reason for the procedure. Our front office team verifies your specific coverage before treatment so there are no surprises, and more is available on our insurance and financing options.
What is the recovery time?
Most adults return to a normal soft diet within 24 to 48 hours and to fully normal eating within a week. Mild soreness around the released area is typical for two to three days. For lingual releases, some patients benefit from short tongue-stretching exercises during healing so the tissue reattaches in the open position. We will give you a specific timeline for your case at the consultation.
Do you perform frenectomies for infants?
Our practice is oral and maxillofacial surgery for adults and older children, and many infant tongue-tie cases are best handled by a pediatric dentist or a provider focused on infant feeding. We are happy to discuss your specific situation by phone before scheduling. For older children referred by an orthodontist or pediatric dentist, we routinely coordinate with the referring office. |
