Lip & Tongue Tie Treatment – Allen, TX
Freeing Your Baby’s Smile
If your baby has been recently diagnosed with a lip or tongue tie, it can be hard not to worry. As parents themselves, our board-certified pediatric dentists, Dr. Justin and Dr. Sage, understand your concern. However, lip and tongue ties are more common than you might have though. As many as 11% of infants have one of these conditions. With the increase in diagnoses, treatment has become easier and more effective. At Sprout Dentistry for Kids of Allen, we offer lip and tongue tie treatment in Allen, TX as a way of freeing your baby’s smile. Contact us today to learn more!
Why Choose Sprout Dentistry for Kids of Allen for Lip & Tongue Tie Treatment?
- Board-Certified Experts in Many Areas of Pediatric Dentistry
- Latest Dental Technology for Maximum Comfort
- Fun, Friendly Dental Team
What is a Lip & Tongue Tie?
Lip and tongue tie involve a band of tissue called the frenulum, located underneath the tongue and lower lip. A frenulum that is too thick or short can restrict movement of the tongue or lip, making it difficult for the baby to eat. This can impair their nutrition and development. If the problem remains untreated, it may adversely affect them as they grow older, increasing the likelihood of speech impediments or delays as well as dental issues.
Learn More About What is a Lip & Tongue Tie?
Signs of a Lip & Tongue Tie
Most cases of lip or tongue tie are diagnosed shortly after a baby is born. There are several possible symptoms, many of which are easily noticeable. These include:
- Difficulty staying latched when nursing.
- Falling asleep or sliding off the nipple when attempting to latch.
- Gumming the nipple when nursing.
- Inability to hold a pacifier in the mouth.
- Inability to drink from a bottle.
- Poor weight gain.
- Difficulty lifting the tongue or sticking it out.
- Tongue shaped like a heart.
If you’re breastfeeding your baby, you yourself might experience certain signs of lip and tongue tie, such as:
- Increased or decreased supply of milk.
- Distorted, damaged, or sore nipples.
- Pain while breastfeeding.
- Inflammation of the breasts.
Treating Lip & Tongue Tie
Our dentists can correct lip or tongue tie with a quick procedure called a frenectomy. We recommend getting it scheduled before your baby’s first birthday to avoid needing sedation or anesthesia, but it can still be performed when a child is older.
A frenectomy rarely takes more than one minute to complete. First, we apply a local anesthetic, and then we use a soft tissue laser to sever the tissue, freeing up movement of the tongue or lip. Because the laser cauterizes as it cuts, it minimizes post-op bleeding as well as the risk of infection.
About 24 to 48 hours following the procedure, you should see a white, diamond-shaped patch where the incision was made. Be sure to let your child move their lip or tongue freely during this period; otherwise, the tissue may reattach. You can expect the tissue to finish healing within one to two weeks.
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