A simple
clipping, usually about 1 cm, done with sterile
scissors of the
lingual frenulum in cases where it is too short, tight or inserted too close to the tip of the
tongue. It is done to "release" the tongue so it can move more freely; for
breastfeeding, for
speech, for
social play (sticking out the tongue, licking ice cream cones, kissing). This is to be contrasted with a
frenectomy, a much more invasive surgery, involving removal of
vascular and highly
innervated tissue, not just clipping of a thin fibrous membrane. Frenotomies done on
infants ususally involve no more bleeding than a dime sized stain and the baby can breastfeed immediately afterwards. They are best done only IF needed to allow effective
breastfeeding in the first days of life, before abnormal feeding behaviors are learned.
SOURCES
http://www.bartleby.com/61/1/F0320100.html
http://www.anatomy.usyd.edu.au/glossary/glossary
http://www.ucd.ie/~vetanat/ga-subject/pelvis/pl4.html.
http://www.brianpalmerdds.com/frenum_pdf.pdf