Tongue & Lip Tie
What is a Tongue-Tie?
Tongue tie is a condition that happens to the frenum, which is the tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth. It occurs when the frenum tissue is unusually tight, too short, or too thick.
This frenum becomes tighter or thicker than it should be and can cause problems for the individual. It can affect infants during breastfeeding. In older kids, lip ties can cause spacing between teeth and tongue ties can cause speech deformities, can affect the patient’s ability to stick their tongue out, and the way they swallow.
Usually, the frenulum separates from the tongue before your baby is born, but in some instances, it does not occur. In order for the tongue to do its job correctly, it must be able to have a certain range of movement. To make this happen, a surgical procedure called a frenectomy may be performed to relieve the tongue from the tightness of the tissue and alleviate the problem.
What happens during a Frenectomy?
In most occurrences, a Frenectomy is a simple procedure done in our office. It can be performed at any age to help relieve the patient of the tightness of the tissue and muscle. Depending on the specific needs of the patient, a short surgical procedure is done and the frenum is reduced in size with a laser made specifically to cut soft tissue. The dentist will cut the tissue, which will reduce the tension immediately and can irreversibly repair these issues.
If you would like to inquire more about Tongue tie and Frenectomies, call our office and one of our helpful staff members will be happy to assist you.