Frenula of tongue and lips: are there or not?

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The absence, hypoplasia, or hyperplasia of the frenula of the lips and tongue is suggested as a sign of some diseases. This study assessed the presence of frenula among patients with orthodontic concerns.

AIM: This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of the absence of the frenulum of the tongue and lips to determine the possibility of using the absence of frenula as a diagnostic criterion for other pathologies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis photographs of 391 patients was performed.

RESULTS: In total, 100% of the patients have a maxillary frenulum. The inferior labial frenulum was absent in 67.02% of the patients, and 252 patients (95% CI 62.27–71.77%) had multiple strands of the mucosal membrane. Hypoplastic mandibular frenulum was found in 109 (28.99%) patients (95% CI 24.4–33.58%). Absence of lingual frenulum was noted in 6 (1.68%) patients (95% CI 0.35–3.01%) and hypoplasia in 33 (9.24%) (95% CI 6.24–12.24%).

CONCLUSIONS: The absence of inferior labial and lingual frenulum cannot be a diagnostic criterion for other pathologies without specifying the method of displacement of the lower lip.

Keywords

mandibular frenulum / inferior labial frenulum / tongue frenulum / hypoplasia / absence frenum / Ehlers–Danlos syndrome

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