Gentle Tongue & Lip-Tie Care
Laser Frenectomies in Highland, IN
Witnessing your child grow and develop and capturing every smile and giggle are some of the greatest joys of being a parent. But then you start noticing that something is not quite right with your child's oral function. Tongue and lip ties are conditions that can cause difficulties with feeding, speaking, and oral hygiene. The good news is that there is a solution. Dentistry for Children is pleased to offer laser frenectomies to gently release lip ties or tongue ties, improving your child's health and quality of life.
What Is a Tongue or Lip Tie?
Inside your little one's mouth are thin bands of tissue called frenula that help stabilize the tongue and lips. A tongue tie, also known as ankyloglossia, is a condition that occurs when the lingual frenulum, the tissue connecting your little one's tongue to the floor of the mouth, is too short or too thick, interfering with the range of motion and inhibiting normal tongue function.
A lip tie is similar to a tongue tie. It occurs when the labial frenulum connecting the upper lip to the gums is too short or thick or when it connects to the roof of the mouth. When this happens, the frenulum restricts the movement of the upper lip and interferes with your little one's ability to breathe and latch properly during breastfeeding.
What Are Signs Your Child May Have a Tongue or Lip Tie?
- Difficulty latching during breastfeeding
- A noticeable clicking sound while nursing
- Poor weight gain due to poor nutrition
- Excessive gassiness or colics resulting from difficulties with breastfeeding
- Oral pain or discomfort when eating or speaking
- Difficulty speaking clearly, especially with certain sounds
- Constantly having an open mouth posture
- Gagging or choking while eating
- An inability to stick out the tongue due to a restriction in the range of motion
- Excessive drooling as a result of difficulties with oral function
- Dental problems, including tooth decay, overcrowding, or bite problems
What Are the Effects of Tongue and Lip Ties on Breastfeeding?
Tongue and lip ties can have a significant impact on breastfeeding. When the tissue connecting the tongue or lip is shorter or tighter than it should be, it restricts movement. That interferes with the ability to grasp and latch onto the mother's nipple during breastfeeding. To compensate, a child may suck harder, leaving the mother in pain. In some cases, a baby may not be able to latch at all. Some babies find breastfeeding so frustrating that they refuse to feed altogether.
Mothers of babies with tongue or lip ties often report sore, dried, or cracked nipples and pain or discomfort during breastfeeding. Many also experience low or decreased milk supplies, blocked milk ducts, nipple thrush, and mastitis, an inflammation of the breast tissues, which may lead to infection.
Aside from having difficulty latching or staying on the mother's breast, babies with tongue or lip ties often fall asleep when nursing, make loud sucking sounds while feeding, and have excessive gas reflux. The inability to feed effectively can lead to poor weight gain, impacting your child's health and development.
What Are Additional Complications of Tongue and Lip Ties?
If not treated, a tongue or lip tie can lead to a range of problems. As a child grows, tongue or lip ties can lead to problems chewing age-appropriate solid foods, gagging or choking on their foods, and picky eating. Children may also have delayed speech development or deterioration in speech, which may lead to a loss of self-confidence.
Tongue or lip ties make it difficult for children to maintain proper oral hygiene care, including brushing and flossing. It can also result in mouth breathing, snoring, airway issues, gaps between the front teeth, and a host of dental and overall health concerns.
Diagnosing a Tongue or Lip Tie
Tongue or lip ties are often misdiagnosed as other conditions, such as reflux, colic, or failure to thrive. If you have concerns about feeding difficulties in your baby, make sure to reach out to your lactation consultant, pediatrician, or pediatric dentist for guidance. It's also important to pay attention to speech impediments in older kids.
A diagnosis of a tongue or lip tie is usually made based on an evaluation of symptoms and a physical exam. Your child may need a frenectomy to grow, develop, and thrive.
What Is a Frenectomy and Why Would Your Child Need One?
Dr. Halum may recommend a frenectomy for a child with a tongue or lip tie that is causing problems with feeding, speech, or oral hygiene. The procedure involves the release of the lingual or labial frenulum, which helps improve the range of motion, enhancing your child's health and quality of life.
When Should You Schedule Your Child's Frenectomy?
Frenectomies are most commonly performed on young babies to resolve feeding issues. However, older children with tongue or lip ties and even adults may greatly benefit from the procedure.
What Happens During a Traditional Surgical Frenectomy?
A surgical frenectomy is typically performed by cutting or modifying the frenulum in the mouth using surgical scissors or a scalpel, releasing the tongue or lip. The procedure is typically performed under a local anesthetic and may require sutures to close the wound.
Surgical frenectomies typically take several days to heal. Your child may feel pain or discomfort and may have some bleeding at the surgical site. Surgical frenectomies can result in infection or scarring in some cases and may not achieve the desired improvement in oral function.
What Is the Laser Frenectomy Procedure?
A laser frenectomy is a minimally invasive alternative to a traditional surgical tongue or lip tie release. At Dentistry fo Children, we offer our young patients in Highland, IN, and the surrounding communities minimally invasive laser frenectomies using the LightScalpel CO2 soft tissue laser.
Laser frenectomies are incredibly fast. The entire procedure to release a tongue or lip tie can take less than 10 seconds to complete! Unlike surgical frenectomies, our safe and gentle tongue or lip tie releases require no anesthesia or stitches. They are virtually pain-free and require minimal recovery time. Your child will have little to no bleeding, a lower risk of infection or complications, and will be able to resume nursing right after treatment.
What Are the Advantages of Laser Frenectomies?
Using a laser to release your child's tongue or lip tie offers numerous benefits, including the following:
- A soft tissue laser does not cut, but instead, it vaporizes the unwanted tissue.
- The simple procedure is extremely quick, with minimal to no pain or discomfort.
- The soft tissue laser cauterizes as it vaporizes the tissues, minimizing bleeding.
- Your child will not need stitches or sutures in most cases.
- Laser frenectomies are minimally invasive, reducing the risk of complications associated with surgical frenectomies.
- Laser frenectomies minimize the risk of damage to adjacent tissues, reducing healing times.
- Lasers sterilize the treatment area lowering the risk of infection.
- Laser frenectomies reduce the risk of scarring.
- Laser frenectomies have an incredibly high success rate.
How Can You Promote Healing After a Laser Frenectomy?
Laser soft tissue surgery is safe and predictable, with minimal risk of bleeding and complications. However, there are things you can do to promote healing and alleviate any discomfort.
Make sure you give your child some age-appropriate Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen after the procedure, as directed, to help with discomfort and minimize swelling. Your child can nurse normally after the procedure. If your child is older, offer food and drinks as usual, but avoid anything spicy, sour, or hot for at least ten days. Encourage your child to rinse well with water after eating to keep the area clean.
One of the most important things to promote healing is to perform stretching exercises several times a day for approximately four weeks after your child's laser frenectomy. That will prevent the frenulum from reattaching. We will demonstrate the exercises and make sure you are comfortable performing them before you leave our office.
Keep in mind that the frenectomy site may change in color to yellow, which is completely normal. If you have questions or concerns about your child's healing or recovery, please don't hesitate to contact our office for guidance.
How Common Is a Tongue or Lip Tie Reattachment After a Frenectomy?
Laser frenectomies are highly successful. During the healing process, a new frenulum will form, which is normal. However, the importance lies in where the frenulum attaches. At Dentistry for Children, we provide extensive instruction to prevent the reattachment of the frenulum to the wrong area. Adhering to care instructions will minimize the chances of reattachment.
Laser Frenectomies Near Me in Highland, IL
If you suspect that your child has a tongue or lip tie, Dr. Halum and his team at Dentistry for Children in Highland, IL, are here to help. We will evaluate your little one's unique needs and discuss your treatment options. You can always count on us for state-of-the-art, fully customized smile solutions.
We invite you to call us at 219-924-5437 to schedule an appointment to get your child's healthy eating and development back on track!