Tongue and Lip Tie Treatments
Every child has a small strip of skin just behind the middle of their lip and below the tip of their tongue. We call these tissues a “frenum.” Sometimes, the frenum can be too tight or short, restricting tongue or lip movements.
Symptoms of a Tongue or Lip Tie
Severe tongue and lip ties are usually diagnosed soon after birth. Particularly because they interfere with a baby’s ability to latch correctly while breastfeeding or sucking from a bottle. Your pediatrician or lactation consultant may be one of the first ones to notice it. However, pediatric dentists like Dr. Hu can also screen for, diagnose, and treat tongue or lip ties in babies, infants, toddlers, or older children.
Children with extremely tight lip or tongue ties may have significantly noticeable tension in their skin. Such as being unable to pull the lip back to see the teeth behind it. Or clefting at the tip of their tongue, because of the frenum pulling at it from underneath.
How to Treat a Lip Tie or Tongue Tie
The treatment for a tongue or lip tie is to release the tension of the skin in that area. Dr. Hu uses an FDA-approved soft tissue laser to perform frenectomies quickly, safely, and gently on children of all ages.
This soft tissue laser eliminates the need for more invasive techniques, such as incisions in the skin. Additionally, the laser gently cauterizes the outermost layer of tissue, which:
- Reduces swelling
- Prevents bleeding
- Speeds up recovery
- Improves comfort
How Quick are the Results?
Laser frenectomies offer same-day results for most infants and toddlers. Nursing mothers especially tend to notice the difference right away. Toddlers, preschoolers, and older children receiving lip or tongue tie treatment may need to have special “exercises” like sticking their tongue out or licking up and down on a popsicle. These tongue stretches help keep the skin loose as they learn to adjust to speaking and eating without their tight frenum.
Recovery After Frenectomy Treatment
The great thing about being able to perform lip and tongue tie treatments with a laser is that the laser method is more comfortable than traditional frenectomies. This improves your child’s recovery with little to no discomfort. If needed, your child can take an over-the-counter pain reliever to manage any irritation the rest of that day.
Want a Professional Opinion?
If you suspect that your baby or preschooler has a tongue tie or lip tie, plan a visit with Dr. Hu. Little Grins Pediatric Dentistry is happy to provide you with a professional opinion on whether your child needs or could benefit from a laser frenectomy.
Contact our Glendora pediatric dentist today to reserve an appointment.
Ready to get started?
At Little Grins Pediatric Dentistry we pride ourselves on providing our Glendora neighbors with comfortable, quality oral health services that will leave you smiling for years to come. Contact our Glendora dentist today to get started.