Lip & Tongue Tie Treatment – Kaufman, TX

How Do Lip and Tongue Ties Develop?

A lip tie occurs when the labial frenulum (the tissue that attaches the lips to the gums) is too short or thick, whereas a tongue tie occurs when the lingual frenulum (the tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth) is too short or thick. These are congenital conditions, and their cause is not always easily identifiable. In some cases, they develop because a mother suffered from nutrient deficiencies during pregnancy.

Lip and tongue tie should be taken seriously because they have the potential to cause numerous problems. For example, an infant may have difficulty nursing, be colicky, or be slow to gain weight. A mother who has an infant with tongue tie may experience breast pain, clogged milk ducts, and low milk supply.

Why Is It Important to Treat Lip & Tongue Ties?

In addition to causing breastfeeding difficulties, untreated lip and tongue ties can lead to some other significant issues:

• A child may be slow to develop their speaking ability, and certain sounds may be extra challenging for them to enunciate.
• Children with lip and tongue ties may be prone to sleep disordered breathing, which can cause snoring, exhaustion, and behavioral problems.
• Limited movement of the tongue can lead to orthodontic issues and poor oral hygiene (due to the child not being able to clean the corners of their mouth with their tongue).
• People with lip or tongue tie often have forward head posture (also called “nerd neck”).
• Problems associated with lip and tongue tie can persist into adulthood if they remain untreated.

Lip & Tongue Tie Treatment 

In most cases, treating lip and tongue tie is easy and can set up a child for excellent oral health and function in the future.

To address these conditions, we can perform a frenectomy, which is a minimally invasive surgical procedure. We use a soft tissue laser to cut the offending frenulum and free up movement of the patient’s oral tissues. The entire procedure takes just a few minutes, and infants are encouraged to breastfeed immediately afterward.

Older children who undergo a frenectomy might require some therapy to help them adapt to using their tongue and/or lips properly. For example, they may need help to hold their tongue in the correct position or to learn how to swallow correctly.