Tongue-Tie, Lip-Tie, Frenectomy
Enjoy cutting-edge dental treatment without leaving your hometown at The Dental Wellness Company. We offer the latest in frenectomy treatments, using high-precision lasers to solve common problems caused by tongue ties in children. If you have a child that is experiencing lip or tongue restrictions, breastfeeding challenges or difficulties with their speech, schedule an appointment with us today.
Some struggles with breastfeeding are simply due to posture or placement and are easily corrected by a lactation consultant. If your child continues to have a hard time latching on or seems to lose their grip often, they may have a tongue tie. This refers to the skin under the tongue that helps anchor it in place. When this skin is overgrown, it's hard for the baby to get a good suction and latch on during breastfeeding. Ties between the lip and the gums can cause similar issues. If the sucking is uncomfortable or ineffective for the infant, it's likely to struggle with breastfeeding.
The benefits of the frenectomy aren't just for the infant. Nursing mothers will also find the breastfeeding process easier and less uncomfortable. There should be a reduction in nipple tenderness and cracking due to stronger suction and less movement from the baby. A stronger latching experience also helps stimulate milk production, resulting in an adequate supply for the growing infant.
While in the past tongue-tie procedures were somewhat complex, they're much faster and simpler today due to the use of precision laser technology. With no heat or other residues, the laser cuts quickly and cauterizes the skin immediately to minimize pain, bleeding, and scarring.
The frenum tissue in the mouth helps hold the lips and tongue in place. However, this tissue can develop abnormally and leave the mouth more limited in movement than is healthy. An excess of frenum growth can keep the lips and tongue from moving around normally, affecting everything from eating to speaking. Lasers are used by the lip-tie dentist to shrink the frenum under the upper lip or tongue for a quick fix that has a low chance of infection or complication.
The frenum under the tongue is the one most commonly known by parents because issues with it have been commonly treated for decades. While they're not the only frenum that can cause problems, it is the part of the mouth most likely to develop these issues. Lingual frenum issues are particularly likely to cause jaw size issues, misalignment of teeth, and long-term speech problems unless corrected by a tongue-tie dentist.
The skin connecting the upper lip to the upper gums was long overlooked except in infants struggling to breastfeed. Now it's commonly addressed in children where it can hinder upper gum tissue development, interfere with tooth alignment, or cause a gap to form in the top middle teeth.
When the lingual frenum is very short or attached too closely to the tip of the tongue, the person is said to have a tongue-tie. The official medical term is ankyloglossia. This is particularly common in infants and also affects them the most. A child with a tongue-tie will have trouble arching their tongue, which affects breastfeeding and even the use of a bottle. After beginning to eat solids, the child will still struggle to push food through the mouth and swallow safely. Even sticking out your tongue to catch a snowflake is affected by this condition in the long run. Treating the tongue-tie while the child is young is usually much easier than trying to wait until they're older. It's one of the most recommended breastfeeding solutions for issues like disrupted latching.
When it's the labial frenum that is overgrown instead, it's known as a lip-tie. Speech patterns are highly affected, along with the chance of the lower jaw protruding. Many breastfeeding problems that remain after a tongue-tie is correct are due to a lip-tie instead. In adults, it affects the ability to kiss or whistle.
All types of infant tongue-tie and lip-tie issues can interfere with healthy breastfeeding. Stop the discomfort for you and your child while increasing the amount of nutrition they take in by solving their oral health issues.
Please call 000.000.0000 or click below to schedule an appointment online. We can't wait to meet you!
