Quantitative analysis of frenectomies performed in the context of the SUS after mandatory tongue test

ABSTRACT This study sought to investigate and to know the frequency and the distribution of frenotomies and frenectomies performed in the Unified Health System (SUS) after the legal provisions that instituted the tong test, and to understand which professionals are performing the surgical procedure. This is an analytical, descriptive, retrospective study, with secondary data, available in the DATASUS Information System. It was observed that a considerable increase in the number of procedures, but with fluctuations in the following years. Out of the frenectomies registered in the SUS in the period, 33% were performed by dentists in primary care. The results showed that there was a substantial increase in the number of surgical procedures in two moments, in 2014 and in 2017, possibly as a result of the publication of Ordinance nº 13.002/2014 and Technical Note (NT) No. 09/2016. NT No. 35/2018 shifted diagnosis and treatment to medium complexity, possibly resulting in queues, especially in the case of surgeries that could be performed in primary care. Although there is no unanimity regarding the correlation between ankyloglossia and weaning, there seems to be no monitoring to avoid unnecessary surgeries, since milking may not be affected and follow-up is carried out to confirm or not this need.