Laser frenectomy
Laser Frenectomy Twinsburg, Ohio
Your child’s tongue and lips help them eat, speak, nurse, chew, and swallow. In order for them to work optimally, though, they need their full range of motion. Tethered oral tissue can prevent your child’s tongue and or lips from working fully. In such cases, a laser frenectomy may help.
What is a Frenectomy?
A frenectomy is simply the release of connective tissue (called the frenum) from under the tongue or the upper gums. It is performed to correct conditions known as tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) and lip-tie in infants, children, and adolescents. Traditionally, this procedure was performed with a scalpel with the patient under general anesthesia. At Great Beginnings Pediatric Dentistry, however, we use a soft-tissue laser to perform frenectomies.
The Benefits of Laser Frenectomy
Our laser’s pinpoint accuracy and immediate cauterization of tissue provides many benefits to patients.
- NO general anesthesia needed
- NO stitches required
- Very fast (2-3 minutes!)
- Minimal bleeding
- High success rate
- Minimal post-op pain or swelling for most infants
- Low chance of tissue re-attachment with follow-up exercises
Understanding Tongue-Tie and Lip-Tie
A person may be born with a tongue-tie, lip-tie, or combination of the two. In both cases, the frenum is preventing either the tongue (tongue-tie) or the upper lip (lip-tie) from being able to move and function fully.
What is the Frenum?
You can easily see your frenum by looking in a mirror and lifting your tongue. The fibrous band of tissue under your tongue is your frenum. Similarly, if you lift your upper lip, you’ll notice a similar band of tissue connecting your upper gums and lip. During a laser frenectomy, the dentist releases one or both of these tissues to improve tongue and/or lip function.
Frenectomy Evaluations at Great Beginnings Pediatric Dentistry
Only a trained professional can assess your child’s frenum for tongue and/or lip-tie. Dr. Rachel and Dr. Laura run a comprehensive set of observations and assessments in order to determine whether or not a child may benefit from a frenectomy. These non-invasive checks can be performed in our Twinsburg pediatric dental office and take 30-40 minutes to complete.
Some common signs that indicate you should have your child evaluated for tethered oral tissues include:
- Breastfeeding Concerns: Baby has trouble latching or staying latched, makes clicking and/or popping sounds while nursing, prefers one side to the other. Mother experiences pain when baby latches.
- Speech Concerns: Speech delay and/or unclear speech for age.
- Eating Concerns: Baby refuses solids. Child is a “picky eater,” eating only a handful of foods, typically ones that are softer and easier to chew than others.
- Sleeping Concerns: Baby or child sleeps with mouth open and/or snores. Child never seems fully rested even after sleeping. Restless sleep.
Consequences of Leaving Tongue-Tie Untreated
If left untreated, a lip tie or tongue tie can have long-lasting consequences for your child, including
- Breastfeeding difficulties
- Speech development difficulties
- Increased occurrences of tooth decay
- Food aversions
- Digestive issues
- Sleep difficulties
- Teeth spacing issues
- Face elongation
- Lower jaw recession
- Upper jaw protrusion
Dr. Laura and Dr. Rachel welcome your questions about lip-tie, tongue-tie, and laser frenectomy
If you’re wondering if your child can benefit from lip-tie and/or tongue tie assessment call and schedule a visit today. Both of our pediatric dentists are currently accepting new patients age 12 years and younger. Dr. Rachel Rosen and Dr. Laura Adelman also welcome patients whose pediatricians or speech therapists have recommended a frenectomy or further evaluation. Call our office today at (330) 425-1885 to schedule your child’s assessment.
