""The MGF and 2 uncles are all dentists and were very adamant about having the frenulum clipped because it is transparent with very little risk, etc." Just because it is easy to do doesn't make it useful. ""Once a problem has set in (speech difficulties, oral hygiene issues, etc) what is the likelihood that the procedure is "too late"? " Frenulums stretch. If you can get your tongue to your front teeth and too the roof of the mouth, you can make speech sounds properly. If you can get it to your lips, you can nurse or like an icecream cone. What oral hygiene problems are associated with a prominent or short frenulum? ""The corollary question being - isn't it "better" to do when younger wrt pain, anesthesia, etc?" Pain hurts without regard to age. Anesthesia is possible at any age. "". . .the transparent frenulum will "become vascularized"." Thin ones usually just stretch. I am not familiar with vascularization of the frenulum. ""How common is scarring following frenulectomy? I have not seen that, but then again, my patients don't usually get frenulotomies. ""ENT or oral-maxillo-facial surgeon?" The oral surgeons will do it here. You could do it yourself if you wanted. As frenulotomy proponents have mentionned, it's really simple. A peds surgeon taught me during residency. You just need a little spatula with a slit in the middle to isolate the frenulum and protect other sublingual structures. Then just snip it with scissors. Michael ________________________ Michael L. Webster, MD Erie, PA -----Original Message----- From: Eve Switzer Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 5:49 PM Subject: ankyloglossia/tongue tie revisited