Lingual frenulum: quantitative evaluation proposal
Marchesan, I.Q.
International Journal of Orofacial Myology Official Publication of the International Association of Orofacial Myology 31: 39-48
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 0735-0120 PMID: 16739711 Document Number: 592482
The purpose of this study was to establish a quantitative method to classify lingual frenulum as normal and altered. 98 people were included in this study. All measurements were made with maxium opening of the mouth. A digital caliper was used to measure the length of the frenulum under three conditions: a) with the tongue tip on the incisal papilla; b) with the tongue sucked up and maintained against the hard palate; and c) with tongue stretching over a spatula. Observations indicated that the most useful and statistically significant way of measuring frenulum length was achieved with maximum mouth opening and the tongue tip on the incisal papilla. This quantitative method was demonstrated to be effective for identifying and distinguishing normal and altered frenular length.