Lip and Tongue Tie Treatment--Fort Washington, WA
Setting Your Baby Up for Success
Is breast or bottle-feeding your baby always a struggle? Do they have difficulty latching or creating a steady flow? Do you typically end up frustrated and in pain afterward?
Before you blame yourself, know that these types of problems are telltale signs of lip and tongue tie, conditions that physically prevent your child from using their mouth properly.
Dr. Natalie Gardner has helped many parents and children overcome these conditions with quick screenings and gentle care, and she can do the same for you—just click here to request an appointment and get started.
Why Choose Upper Dublin Pediatric Dentistry for Lip & Tongue Tie Treatment?
- Top-Rated Pediatric Dental Office in Fort Washington
- Led by Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist
- Dentist Who is Also a Mom
What is a Lip/Tongue Tie?
Behind each lip and below the tongue is a thin band of tissue called a frenulum. They help these parts of the mouth move freely and also ensure they are in the correct position during rest. The lip frenulums are attached to the gums and keep them held against the teeth and sealed, assisting with nasal breathing.
The tongue frenulum ensures that it stays on the floor of the mouth and doesn’t obstruct the airway.
A tie is when these frenulums are so short or tight that they prevent the tongue or lips from having their full range of motion.
It’s not clear what causes lip and tongue ties right now, but they tend to develop in the last few weeks of pregnancy, and there seems to be a genetic component (there are many cases of ties running in families).
Why is it Important to Treat Lip & Tongue Ties?
For babies, lip and tongue ties can prevent them from being able to feed properly. On top of causing them to miss out on essential nutrition, they can also make feedings painful, both orally and because the child tends to end up swallowing a lot of air by accident.
Of course, the experience for moms is heartbreaking, plus babies who can’t latch normally tend to gum and bite the nipple during feedings that can end up taking hours.
Looking ahead, children with untreated lip and tongue ties can have problems switching to solid foods, speaking clearly, and can even develop dental issues because the teeth are restricted from coming in as they should.
Lip & Tongue Tie Treatment
Fortunately, for parents and babies struggling with these conditions, our practice can help using a simple 3-step process:
- Step 1: We perform a screening to determine whether a child has a lip or tongue tie.
- Step 2: If they do, we do a procedure called a frenectomy, which involves removing or loosening the offending frenulum.
- Step 3: A straightforward recovery process follows. The baby will be able to feed immediately afterward, and the parent will be given a program of simple stretches so that the oral tissues heal correctly.
Starting in the moments after the frenectomy, the child’s mouth should be able to function normally, and all of the problems listed above should go away fairly quickly (and stay gone).