Functional Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Evaluation and Laser Release in Twinsburg
Struggling to feed your baby? A tongue tie could be why.
A Functional Tongue and Lip Tie Evaluation Catches what a Visual One Misses
You’ve tried everything. You’ve seen the pediatrician, worked with a lactation consultant, switched bottles. But something still feels off, and no one can tell you why.
A visual inspection alone is not always enough to rule out a tongue or lip tie. Dr. Rachel Rosen is a board-certified pediatric dentist and Ohio’s only Breathe Ops Affiliate, trained directly by The Breathe Institute. She takes a functional approach to tongue tie evaluation, looking beyond appearance to assess how your baby’s oral tissues actually work. When a tongue or lip tie is affecting how your baby feeds or sleeps, she releases it in-office using the Solea CO2 laser. Why Solea? Precision, speed, and no sedation needed. Many families enjoy receiving an accurate diagnosis and treatment the same day.
No referral is necessary to schedule an evaluation.
Signs Your Baby May Have a Tongue Tie or Lip Tie
You may have been told everything looks fine. If feeding still feels harder than it should, though, your instincts are worth listening to. Tongue ties don’t always look obvious. The signs often show up in how your baby feeds, sleeps, and if you’re nursing, how your own body responds to feeding.
Signs in Your Baby
- Difficulty latching or staying latched
- Short, frequent feeds without ever seeming full
- Poor weight gain
- Gassy or colicky behavior
- Clicking or popping sounds during feeds
- Excessive spit up or reflux-like symptoms
- Short sleep cycles or restless sleep
- Mouth breathing during sleep
- Fussy or restless during and after feeding
Signs During Breastfeeding
Tongue and lip ties affect both sides of the feeding relationship. If your baby has a restriction, your body often tells you before anything else does.
- Painful nursing, even with lactation consultant help
- Cracked, blistered, or misshapen nipples after feeds
- Plugged ducts or recurrent mastitis
- Low milk supply despite frequent nursing
- Feels like constant nursing without satisfying baby
Signs During Bottlefeeding
Tongue and lip ties can affect bottle-fed babies just as much as breastfed babies. The restriction changes how your baby manages the flow of milk.
- Milk leaking from the corners of the mouth
- Excessive gas from swallowing air
- Feeds that take 30 minutes or longer
- Gagging or choking during feeds
- Strong preference for one bottle or nipple type
Types of Tethered Oral Tissues
You may hear tongue ties, lip ties, and buccal ties referred to together as tethered oral tissues, or TOTs. These are the tissue connections in your baby’s mouth that a frenectomy can address. Every baby’s anatomy is different. Dr. Rachel evaluates all of these connections as part of a complete functional assessment, not just the tissues that are most visible.
Lingual Tie
A lingual tie, commonly known as a tongue tie, restricts how the tongue moves. It can cause latching and feeding struggles. It can also make nasal breathing difficult, leading to less restorative sleep for baby.
Labial Tie
A labial tie (lip tie) connects the upper lip to the gum. When it's too tight, your baby may not be able to flange their lip properly during feeding, affecting their seal on the breast or bottle.
Buccal Tie
Buccal ties (cheek ties) connect the cheeks to the gums. These can contribute to feeding difficulties when they limit how wide your baby can open their mouth.
What is a Frenectomy?
A frenectomy is a relatively quick in-office procedure that releases a tight band of tethered oral tissue in your baby’s mouth to restore healthy function. Your baby has tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth and the upper lip to the gums. When that tissue restricts how your baby latches, feeds, swallows, sleeps, and breathes, a frenectomy releases the restriction. The release allows your baby’s tongue and lips to move freely in their full range of motion.
How Your Baby's Tongue and Lip Tie is Evaluated Matters
Not all tongue tie and lip tie evaluation methods lead to the same insights or results. Many providers use a limited visual classification method. Dr. Rachel’s functional approach goes far beyond a simple visual grading. Her evaluation process focuses on assessing your baby’s oral motor functioning. The method matters because it directly affects whether a tongue or lip tie gets diagnosed, how it gets treated, and whether your baby’s feeding struggles actually improve. Understanding the difference helps you know what to expect when you bring your baby in for an evaluation at Great Beginnings Pediatric Dentistry.
Limited Visual Classification Approach
Not the approach used by Dr. Rachel. Only evaluates tongue and lip ties by how tissues look, using a standardized chart that doesn’t consider symptoms or function.
- Uses standardized visual classifications (Class I through IV) to determine if treatment is necessary
- Applies a standardized, one-size-fits-all treatment approach based on classification alone
- May miss functional restrictions that don't show up visually, especially in babies whose tongue ties appear "mild" but still prevent proper latching and feeding
Dr. Rachel's Functional Evaluation Approach
Evaluates tongue and lip ties by assessing oral motor function, not by how TOTs look.
- Assesses what your baby's tongue can actually do in real feeding situations, not just how the tissue looks
- Identifies restrictions based on their actual impact on your baby's daily life and development
- Takes into account symptoms in baby observed by parents, and nursing mother's symptoms as well
- Creates a customized treatment and support plan based on your baby's specific needs, often partnering with feeding experts and other specialists
Benefits of Solea Laser Frenectomy
If your baby needs a frenectomy (an infant tongue or lip tie release), Dr. Rachel uses the Solea CO2 laser for the procedure. The laser’s pinpoint accuracy and immediate cauterization mean precision, minimal bleeding, and fast healing. Here’s what that translates to for your baby and your family.
No Anesthesia
Your baby stays awake and alert, avoiding sedation risks.
No Stitches
The laser cauterizes, or seals, as it goes for minimal bleeding and no stitches.
Fast & Precise
The laser's pinpoint accuracy means the procedure takes minutes.
Immediate Feeding
Your baby can nurse or bottle feed minutes after the procedure.
In-Office
No hospital or surgical center. Your family stays right here in our Twinsburg office.
What to Expect: Tongue Tie Evaluation to Release Recovery
Your baby’s tongue or lip tie is as unique as they are. The care around it should be, too. From evaluation through recovery, Dr. Rachel and her team help coordinate every step with their network of trusted providers, so your baby has the right support at the right time.
The Evaluation
Your baby’s first appointment is unhurried and thorough with plenty of time for all your questions.
- You stay in the room with baby during the assessment
- Gentle hands-on exam of your baby's tongue, lips, and cheeks
- Intraoral photos so you can see exactly what Dr. Rachel sees
- Full conversation about what she recommends and why
- If you're not already working with a trusted lactation consultant or feeding specialist, Dr. Rachel will recommend the right choice of support providers from her trusted network
The Release
Most parents are surprised by how quickly it’s over and how soon baby is back in their arms.
- Your baby will be swaddled and lie on a padded infant bed
- You will be asked to leave the room while the laser is in use
- A topical numbing gel will be placed, no needles needed
- The laser cauterizes as it goes for minimal bleeding
- Some babies cry briefly, others not at all
- You'll be back with baby in under 10 minutes typically
After the Release
A frenectomy gives your baby’s tongue and lips the freedom to move as they should, but optimal outcomes require proper care and support after.
- You can feed baby as soon as you're reunited, taking your time in our private nursing room with changing table
- Our team will teach you the stretches you'll need to do daily and give you a video link to review technique at home
- You'll go home with a full guide of what to expect the first days and weeks of recovery, along with pain management options
- A follow-up visit one week after will check on baby's progress and answer all your questions
- You'll be referred to appropriate support providers, such as and OT, body worker, etc. with a clear outline of when to see which providers
- You can call our office with any questions or concerns as your baby heals and adjusts to their new oral motor functioning
What Healing Looks Like
Healing is not linear. Keeping follow-up and coordinated care appointments will keep your baby on the optimal path.
- A white diamond-shaped patch will form where the release was performed. This is normal and part of healing.
- Some spot bleeding during stretches is expected. Mixed with saliva, it can look like more than it is.
- Days three and four are typically the peak of inflammation. Your baby may be fussier than usual.
- Your baby's tongue and lips are learning new movement patterns. Progress is not always linear.
- Follow-up appointments with Dr. Rachel and your care team continue for several weeks to guide healing and adjust as needed.
What Families Are Saying About Infant Tongue Tie Releases at Great Beginnings Pediatric Dentistry
Recognized as a Top-Rated Dentist for Kids in Cleveland OH
Voted a Parent Choice Awards Winner for Best Children's Dentist Near Me
Your Questions About Infant Tongue Tie Release Answered
What is a tongue tie or lip tie in a baby?
A tongue tie or lip tie happens when the tissue connecting the tongue or lip to the mouth is tighter or shorter than it should be, limiting how freely it moves. In infants, this can affect nursing, bottle-feeding, sleep quality, and weight gain. Not every tie needs treatment, so the question is whether it’s limiting oral motor function significantly.
My pediatrician said my baby doesn't have a tongue tie, but nursing still feels off. Should I get an evaluation?
Trust your gut feeling. A visual check and a functional evaluation can lead to different conclusions, and that’s not a sign anyone did anything wrong. Rather, it reflects different training and different tools. If nursing or feeding still feels like a struggle, a second look with a functional evaluation is always worth it.
What does the Solea laser feel like for my baby?
The Solea laser allows for a gentle, quick, calm release with no sutures needed. Some babies have even slept through the procedure. Dr. Rachel has used this laser at GBPD since 2015. Most babies are back at the breast or bottle within minutes of the release.
Is laser tongue tie or lip tie release covered by insurance?
Coverage varies by plan. Our team will walk you through your specific coverage before any procedure, so there are no surprises. We believe families deserve a clear answer on cost up front.
How long does recovery take after my baby's release?
Most babies resume nursing or bottle-feeding comfortably the same day, but your baby will also have to learn new functioning patterns over the coming weeks. Healing continues over the following one to two weeks, during which gentle aftercare stretches help the tissue heal properly and prevent it from reattaching. Follow-up visits over the following few weeks with Dr. Rachel and your coordinated care team will also help promote proper healing and improved oral motor function.
What age can a baby have a tongue tie or lip tie treated?
Infant tongue tie and lip tie release is available from the earliest weeks of life through about 18 months. Older children can and do get tongue and lip tie releases, so it’s not too late past this timeframe, but the process is different. If you’re not sure whether your baby still falls in the infant release window, we’re happy to take a look and point you in the right direction.
What should I watch for at home after my baby's release?
You’ll get specific aftercare instructions before you leave, including gentle stretches to support healing. You’ll also have scheduled follow-up visits for Dr. Rachel to assess the healing and offer more instructions of support if needed. Keep an eye on feeding comfort and reach out if anything feels off. We’re here to help you throughout the recovery process.