Dentistry · Oral & Dental · Medium
Frenectomy
Meaning: Minor surgical procedure to cut or remove a fold of tissue tethering the lip or tongue.
In practice: The baby had a frenectomy to release a tight tongue-tie that was affecting breastfeeding.
Word parts
- -ectomy means surgical removal
Many medical words are built from Greek and Latin parts like these, so learning a few helps you work out new terms.
Quick check
Two questions on related dentistry words.
Which word means: Rare congenital condition in which all teeth fail to develop, often linked to ectodermal dysplasia.
Answer: Anodontia
Which word means: Abnormally large tongue, which may be congenital or caused by conditions such as hypothyroidism or amyloidosis.
Answer: Macroglossia
Words like frenectomy come up in the daily game
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