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9735 Landmark Parkway Dr.
Suite #16 St. Louis, MO 63127

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Home Care Information for Post-Op Frenectomy

Dr. Kelly Jobe | Pediatric Dentist | St. Louis, MO

IMPORTANT: This page includes information that will help you and your little one recover as best as possible. Please understand that sucking correctly and consistently after the procedure takes time. Improvements with feedings are usually gradual and may take anywhere from 2-4 weeks.

What You May Expect After Procedure

***Please be aware that the healing timeline below may not apply to every baby.***

Days 1-3

Most babies will be very sore during the first 24-48 hours
Expect baby to be fussier than usual
Healing “white patch” forms
Pain meds given as indicated
Difficulty with latch may occur, refer to LC for “back up” feeding plan
Have comfort measures prepared

Week 1

Baby’s soreness starts to taper off days 7-10
Baby may still be fussy
Healing white patch continues to form
Pain meds given as needed
Follow up with LC to help baby re-learn new SUCK
Follow up with bodyworker as needed Improvement may be minimal during first week.

Weeks 2-4

Baby should not be sore and exercises are mildly irritating
Healing white patch shrinking
Pain meds not necessary
New frenulum forming
Bodywork and LC follow ups as needed
Improved progress with feeding

Weeks 4-6

Continue stretches Discomfort should be gone.
Bodywork, OT, PT or LC follow ups as needed
Continual progress with
feeding

Pain Management Recommendations

Under 6 months

Infant Acetaminophen/Tylenol (160 mg/5 ml concentration)

Dose based on weight. Give every 4-6 hours for the first few days as needed for pain.

[Arnica Montana 200C, Hypericum 200C, Aconitum 200C, Bryonia 200C), Rescue Remedy

Homeopathic remedies used to treat pain and inflammation Instructions: Dissolve 5 pellets of each, plus 7 sprays Rescue Remedy in 1 ounce pure water.

Give approximately 3-4 drops every 15 minutes as needed the first few days, then every 90 minutes or as needed. Administer 3-4 drops every time you do exercises or wound care for 24 hours.

Over 6 months

Children's Ibuprofen/Advil/Motrin

Infant’s drops (50 mg/1.25 ml) or children’s concentration (100 mg/5 ml.)

If infant is older than 2 months and Tylenol is ineffective, get consent from pediatrician for ibuprofen use.
Dose based on weight every 6-8 hours as needed for pain

Safe for all ages

Frozen Breastmilk

Either scrape up with a spoon (like a slush) or freeze in a plastic bag and break off a chunk
Place under the lip or tongue to help with pain and swelling

Soothing Gels/Oils "no numbing gels or anything containing benzocaine"

Simply apply small dab to treated areas 4-6 times a day
Recommended Options: Hyland’s Teething Gel, Orajel Naturals, Organic Coconut Oil

Helpful Tips

If your child is extra fussy or inconsolable, be sure to use lots of skin to skin contact. This increases oxytocin levels which lowers pain.
If your baby is struggling to latch, try a nice warm bath to soothe them.
Using good lighting during the stretches really helps visualize the diamonds and ensures accurate technique.
Frozen breast milk can act as a natural numbing agent and help with pain.
It may be best to feed before stretching during the first few weeks, while infant is most sore.

When you need to call the doctor:

Although rare, please do not hesitate to call is if your child experiences any of the following:

Fever greater than 101.5⁰
Uncontrolled bleeding
Refusal to feed (bottle and/or breast for over 8 hours)
Not producing wet diapers

Additional Therapies

BODY WORK

Body work is the general term used to describe therapies that may help relieve and normalize structural issues in the body. Some babies may need more body work than others. Babies who receive some form of bodywork seem to heal and rehabilitate better. Some types of therapies are listed below:

TUMMY TIME

This is a simple at-home therapy you can perform a few times a day for 5-20 minutes. This may help your infant gain strength in the neck muscles that support proper sucking.

Oral Motor and Sensory Therapy

Oral Motor and Sensory Therapy are different than bodywork and takes a comprehensive approach to assess sucking, swallowing, and general feeding issues. We can provide you a referral to a highly skilled therapist. The following types of providers may help:

IBCLC (International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant) – Some IBCLCs may have extra training in suck dysfunction.
OT/PT (Occupational or Physical Therapist) – May help with feeding difficulties in infants/children.
SLP (Speech Language Pathologist) – May help with speaking and/or feeding difficulties in infants/children.
OMT (Oral Myofunctional Therapist) – OMT is a relatively new and emerging field, and this type of specialist helps restore proper muscle balance and function of the mouth.
CST (Craniosacral Therapy) – is a gentle hands-on approach that releases tensions deep in the body to relieve pain and dysfunction. It also improves whole-body health and performance. CST is usually performed by a chiropractor or osteopath.

EXTRA HELPERS

Here is a list of a few other items available to assist with exercising/stretching:

Bite Block/Mouth Rest Purchase Here
Mouth Props Purchase Here
Myo Munchess Purchase Here

What Our Patients Say

Dr. Kelly Jobe & her staff are passionate about providing the best pediatric dental care in St. Louis, MO!