This disclosure provides tongue retractors for oral medical procedures such as frenotomies. The retractors include first and second planar members extending from a vertex, wherein the first and second members extend from the vertex at a predetermined angle so as to provide upward retraction of the tongue of a subject when the retractor is placed in the subject's mouth; and an opening within at least one of the members. The opening is arranged to expose the frenulum of the subject and to permit an operator to surgically operate on the frenulum while the retractor is placed in the subject's mouth. The disclosure also provides uses of the retractors in procedures to cut a frenelum, e.g., to treat ankyloglossia.