Preparing Toddlers, Parents and Special Populations for Lingual Frenectomy

Because most lingual frenectomies are surgeries done under local anesthetic, the patient must be compliant throughout the procedure, follow instructions, and even give the doctor feedback on oral sensation. Even those procedures done under general anesthetic alone or with another surgery require targeted range of motion activities to maximize muscular potential. Sending a patient that is not ready to fully participate in their own rehabilitation increases the likelihood of a second procedure. This therapeutic workshop focuses on preparing different patient groups for oral surgeries generally and lingual frenectomy specifically.

Linda D’Onofrio, MS, CCC-SLP completed her degree in Communication Disorders at the University of Oregon, her medical externship at the Oregon Health Sciences University Medical Center with a focus on inpatient neurological acute care and outpatient cognitive rehabilitation, and she completed her clinical fellowship at the Oregon VA Medical Center with a focus on dysphagia, aphasia, brain injury, and oral cancer.