Lip & Tongue Tie Treatment – Towson, MD
Improve Your Child’s Quality of Life
Lip and tongue ties are common conditions that impact an estimated 5% of children. It can influence their development by having long-term effects on their oral growth, including causing airway disorders and gaps between teeth that can lead to speech difficulties. Dr. Roxanne uses an advanced, minimally invasive soft tissue laser to treat lip and tongue ties in Towson so they don’t impact your little one’s growth. If you suspect that your child could have a lip or tongue tie, call our office today for a consultation!
Why Choose Kids Dental Space for Lip & Tongue Tie Treatment?
- Specially Trained Pediatric Dentist
- Pain-Less Soft Tissue Laser Treatment
- We Accept Dental Insurance
What are Lip Ties & Tongue Ties?
The lips are attached to the rest of the mouth by oral tissues called frenula. There is also a frenulum that keeps the tongue attached to the bottom of the mouth. Sometimes a frenulum is thicker or too long, making it more difficult for your child to move their lips or tongue. This can result in several side-effects, including:
- Difficulty latching while breastfeeding
- Colic or reflux
- Sleep breathing problems
- Aversion to certain foods
- A diastema, or a space between their top two front teeth
- Longer nursing sessions
Why is it Important to Treat Lip & Tongue Ties?
In some cases, your child may simply grow out of their condition or it may not have a noticeable impact on them, but in others, it will need to be addressed before it has a detrimental effect on their oral and overall development. When children with more serious cases don’t receive treatment, it can result in:
- Speech difficulties
- Long-term digestive problems
- Head and neck posture issues
- Bruxism, or teeth grinding
- The need for orthodontic treatment as teens
- Airway and sleep disorders
Lip & Tongue Tie Treatment
The treatment for lip and tongue ties is called a frenectomy. After examining the frenulum, Dr. Roxanne will use a soft tissue laser to free any overgrown or thick tissue that’s restricting their oral movement. There are few nerve endings or blood vessels in the frenulum, but with laser frenectomies, the process is as pain-less as possible. The procedure can be completed very quickly, and we’ll be gentle with your child the entire time.
Unlike with using surgical scissors, our soft tissue laser cauterizes the area on-contact, minimizing any bleeding that may occur and drastically reducing your child’s recovery time and post-operative discomfort—just a few of many benefits of using the latest dental technology!
Lip & Tongue-Tie FAQs
Does getting a frenectomy hurt?
It’s only natural to want to avoid doing anything that might hurt your child, even if you know it’s best for their oral health. Thankfully, Dr. Roxanne uses advanced laser technology to perform your child’s procedure, which minimizes pain, reduces bleeding, and speeds recovery.
With that said, our office does offer two options for sedation to help soothe anxious children: nitrous oxide (laughing gas), which is administered through a gas mask placed over their nose while we work, and general anesthesia services performed in the hospital. If you’re concerned about your child’s comfort, please contact us to learn more about the available options.
Is my child old enough to get a lip or tongue-tie procedure?
If you have an infant at home who struggles to latch when nursing or seems moodier than most babies, it might be due to a lip or tongue-tie. But many well-meaning parents and guardians wait to seek treatment because they assume that their child is too young to undergo the procedure.
The truth is that there is no age minimum for frenectomies, and it can even be performed as early as just a few days after birth. Our team will perform a screening to ensure that your child can safely undergo this service before we proceed.
How should I prepare my baby for their treatment?
Are you wondering what you can do to help prepare your baby for their lip or tongue-tie procedure? This treatment usually is quite brief and straightforward, so there aren’t usually complex instructions to follow before your family arrives at our office.
That said, you might want to feed them about an hour before their appointment to prevent hunger pangs during or immediately after their treatment. Our team may also provide daily exercises to do with your infant in the days leading up to their visit to help them practice forming proper suction with their tongue.
Can I be in the room for my child’s frenectomy?
Usually, parents and guardians aren’t allowed in the room for their child’s treatment because their presence can cause complications. For example, a squeamish or distressed adult can quickly trigger their baby or distract Dr. Roxeanne during the procedure, which requires her complete focus and concentration.
Fortunately, laser frenectomies are usually quite brief, so you likely won’t be waiting long before we call you back to see your child afterward.