AZ Family & Kid's Dental

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Tongue & Lip Tie Therapy

Tongue & Lip Tie Therapy

Is your child having speech or nursing difficulties? A growing number of infants, and even teens and adults, are being diagnosed with an easily-treated condition known as tongue-tie or lip-tie.

The muscular attachment between your upper lip and gums, as well as underneath your tongue, is called a frenum. In cases of tongue-tie and lip-tie, the frenum is too short, restricting the movement of the lips and tongue. At AZ Family and Kids Dental, the top family dentistry in Phoenix, our pediatric dentists can treat tongue-tie and lip-tie simply and quickly!

Advanced Lip Tie/Tongue Tie Laser Treatment

If our pediatric dentist evaluates your child’s mouth and determines their frenum is restricting movement, we will likely recommend a frenectomy to “release” it.
At AZ Family and Kids Dental, we use advanced laser technology so your child will likely not even need a local anesthetic! The frenectomy procedure is short and simple, requiring no stitches and taking just ten minutes to complete.

After the procedure, your child can immediately go back to life as usual, but with better oral movement for a lifetime! Babies can even breastfeed better right after treatment—much to their relief and to mom’s. We think that’s something to smile about!

Symptoms of Tongue Tie and Lip Tie

In teens and older adults, a restrictive frenum may cause speech, smiling, or eating difficulties. In infants, symptoms present as breastfeeding difficulties. If you notice any of these signs in your infant, call us right away:
  • Poor latch when nursing
  • Insufficient weight gain
  • Not being able to hold a pacifier in the mouth
  • Falling asleep during nursing
  • Excessive drooling
  • Issues with colic or gassiness
  • “Gumming” when nursing instead of sucking productively
  • Gasping while nursing
Leaving tongue or lip tie untreated can be dangerous for the baby, as the baby may not be getting enough milk. Not to mention, lack of sleep in the infant—and in the mother!—makes for a difficult postpartum adjustment. A tight frenum can even encourage cavities in baby teeth because it makes it more difficult for the baby to clear their mouth of milk.

 

If you’re a breastfeeding mother, you may notice pain and discomfort when breastfeeding, struggle with your milk supply or suffer recurring bouts of mastitis. If you’re concerned your child may have lip tie or tongue tie, let us know. We will fit you in for an appointment as soon as possible!

More Successful Speech Therapy

Is your son or daughter struggling with a speech impediment, or seeing a speech therapist or pathologist? In many cases, a frenectomy (in conjunction with recommended speech exercises) can aid in lip and tongue movement, and the production of clearer speech.

Ready To Schedule Your lip or tongue tie consultation? At AZ Family and Kids Dental, we are committed to offering the best lip or tongue tie consultation services in the Phoenix area. Call today to schedule your appointment!

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