TONGUE FRENECTOMY FOR CORRECTION OF ANKYLOGLOSSIA: CASE REPORT

Abstract

THE TERM ANKYLOGLOSSIA IS USED TO DEFINE A CLINICAL SITUATION OF AN ABNORMALLY SHORT LINGUAL BRIDLE OR A TONGUE FUSED TO THE FLOOR OF THE MOUTH, WHICH IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS A PREY TONGUE. ANKYLOGLOSSIA IS A DEVELOPMENTAL ABNORMALITY, HINDERING THE RANGE OF MOVEMENT OF THE TONGUE AND PREVENTING IT FROM FULFILLING ITS FUNCTION, WHICH RESULTS IN THE ABNORMAL INSERTION OF THE LINGUAL FRENULUM IN THE REGION OF THE LINGUAL APEX. IT CAN BE SEEN IN NEWBORNS, CHILDREN, AS WELL AS IN ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS. OBJECTIVE: TO REPORT A CLINICAL CASE OF LINGUAL FRENECTOMY PERFORMED ON A PATIENT SEEN AT THE DENTISTRY CLINIC OF FACULDADE EVANGÉLICA DE GOIAN�SIA. DESCRIPTION OF THE CLINICAL CASE: PATIENT, LFSM, 18 YEARS OLD, ATTENDED THE INTEGRATED CLINIC IV FOR DENTAL TREATMENT, HE UNDERWENT A CLINICAL EXAMINATION, WHERE ANKYLOGLOSSIA WAS OBSERVED RESTRICTING THE LINGUAL MOBILITY (LATERALITY, ELEVATION AND PROTRUSION MOVEMENTS). THE PATIENT HAD DIFFICULTIES WITH SOME PRONUNCIATION OF CONSONANT CLUSTERS. THE SURGICAL PLANNING WAS THEN ELABORATED, WHICH INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING STEPS: INTRAORAL ANTISEPSIS WITH 0.12% CHLORHEXIDINE SOLUTION AND EXTRAORAL WITH 2% CHLORHEXIDINE. THE ANESTHETIC TECHNIQUE PERFORMED WAS THE BILATERAL LINGUAL NERVE BLOCK, WITH 2% LIDOCAINE HYDROCHLORIDE ASSOCIATED WITH EPINEPHRINE 1: 100,000, IMMOBILIZATION OF THE TONGUE WITH 5.0 NYLON SUTURE, FOR STABILIZATION A HEMOSTATIC FORCEPS WAS USED, THEN THE INCISION WITH NO. 15 SCALPEL BLADE, SECTIONING THE BRAKE AT THE MEDIAN. THEN, HE WAS DEMULSIFIED USING A HEMOSTATIC FORCEPS AND A SUTURE WAS MADE WITH 5.0 NYLON SUTURE WITH DETERMINED STITCHES OF SIMPLE TYPE. THE PATIENT WAS INSTRUCTED ON POSTOPERATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS AND SCHEDULED TO RETURN FOR EVALUATION AND REMOVAL OF THE SUTURE. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT A FRENECTOMY IS KNOWN TO BE EFFICIENT TO IMPROVE POSTURE AND MOBILITY OF THE TONGUE, ORAL FUNCTIONS AND COMMUNICATION, POSITIVELY INTERFERING IN THE PATIENT'S QUALITY OF LIFE. THE TREATMENT IS PERFORMED BY PROFESSIONALS SUCH AS DENTAL SURGEONS WHICH CAN BE PERFORMED THROUGH SURGICAL INTERVENTIONS, SUCH AS LINGUAL FRENECTOMY, WHICH CONSISTS OF RELEASING THE LINGUAL FRENULUM THROUGH AN INCISION. THE POSTOPERATIVE PERIOD OF THIS PROCEDURE IS FAST RECOVERY AND POSITIVE PREDICTABILITY WHEN ASSOCIATED WITH SPEECH THERAPY FOR REEDUCATION