Infant Frenectomies
in Arkansas City

Tongue and lip ties are collectively known as “tethered oral tissues” or TOTs. The medical term for the condition known as tongue tie is ankyloglossia. It results when the frenulum (the band of tissue that connects the bottom of the tongue to the floor of the mouth) is too short or tight, causing the movement of the tongue to be restricted. Tongue tie is congenital (present at birth) and hereditary (often more that one family member has the condition).

Tongue and lip ties can make it hard for your child to breastfeed or use a bottle properly, resulting in poor feeding and inadequate nutrition. In older children, it can present as trouble with speech and sleep. If you think that your child is having trouble feeding because of tongue or lip ties, you should get help from a pediatric dentist right away.

Feeding problems are the most common signs of tongue and lip ties. Your infant's lips and tongue need to be able to move properly to latch onto the nipple and stimulate it for proper feeding. If they seem to be having trouble making a proper seal, milk dribbles out from their mouth while feeding, or they frequently stop and start feeding, they may be having latching issues due to tongue or lip ties.

You can also look for visual signs of tongue and lip ties. For the lips, you can fold back your infant's upper lip and look at the frenulum. If it is difficult to lift the lip or it seems like your baby is unable to move their upper lip on their own, they may have a lip tie.

Signs of tongue ties include an inability for your child to stick their tongue out past their front teeth, or problems moving the tongue from side to side. Tongue ties can also be identified visually. A common sign of tongue ties is a “heart-shaped” tongue. When your infant sticks their tongue out, the restriction caused by the tongue tie may cause it to look “notched” or heart-shaped, instead of appearing as a smooth “U” shape.

The treated area will be numbed throughout the procedure. Afterward, every baby is different. Some babies are only sore for a day or two, while for others, pain and swelling peak around days 4-5. Some moms also report days 7-10 were the most fussy days. There are even some babies who act as if nothing happened at all and don't seem to be in any discomfort. Treat your baby based on how he or she is acting - if you think they are in pain, give age appropriate pain management, and lots of cuddles.

Insurance plans vary, our office will do our best to help your coordinate benefits.

To care for the surgical site, you will need to clean the treatment area twice a day to prevent infection and keep it healthy. Your infant's dentist may also recommend some stretches for the tongue and/or lips. These stretches will help ensure that when the frenulum heals, it will not reattach and restrict your infant's oral range of motion. Follow the instructions given to you and make sure you regularly perform all stretches recommended to you by your infant’s dentist.

Frenectomies are usually identified in infants and young children before they grow older, so the treatment is primarily done on younger children. However, it’s not exclusively provided to infants and young children. Older kids, teenagers, or even adults who have tongue or lip ties may be able to benefit from treatment with a frenectomy if they have serious tongue or lip ties.