In-Depth Details Of Tongue-tie Issues And Frenectomy Treatment

Have you ever stolen a glimpse of your child’s tongue when they start to cry or open their mouth? If you have, do you recall your child having a tongue that has the shape of a heart? If so, then the chances are that he/she has a tongue-tie. You may also have noticed that the baby has trouble moving the tongue left to right or lifting it properly. All these are signs indicating a tongue-tie problem. Other issues associated with this condition include speech difficulties, breastfeeding problems, and the inability to kiss, lick, or play wind instruments.

These issues can make your baby suffer physically and mentally because he/she is not getting the required nourishment. It is also common for the mother to experience pain, cracks, and bruises when breastfeeding a child with a tongue-tie. This increases the risks for infections, something which can taint the milk supply.

Although these issues may not seem extremely serious, they may negatively impact your kids’ social development abilities leading to anxiety issues and depression when they grow up.

Definition of Tongue-tie

A tongue-tie or in scientific terms, ankyloglossia is an oral congenital disability that occurs in some infants. When your child is born with this condition, he/she will have a tongue whose movements are limited. It becomes impossible for a tongue that does not reach all parts of the mouth to perform its job without flaws. The unrestricted tongue movement enables you to make different speech sounds as you speak, swallow food, and sweep the tiny food particles, keeping your mouth and teeth clean.

Infants with a tongue-tie experience problem with their lingual frenulum. This refers to the small tissue stretch that links the tongue’s underside with the mouth floor. In some cases, the tissue becomes extremely short or tight, while in others, it attaches itself way up close to the tongue’s tip. Either way, the tongue gets tied in place, resulting in multiple issues.

Frenectomy treatment is the procedure that most childrens dentist Houston conduct to rectify the tongue-tie problem.

Your child can get a laser frenectomy near you from a pediatric dentist Houston, TX, at Urbach Pediatric Dentistry.

Making Preparations for the Frenectomy Procedure

Frenectomy procedures require little preparation and the best thing you can do is ensure your child is not stressed. You can do this by keeping him/her comfortable and calm. Numbing medicine is also used at the onset of the procedure to make your child more comfortable and relaxed.

The Surgical Procedure of Tongue-tie with Laser Frenectomy

Laser frenectomy has been ranked as one of the quickest and safest ways to detach the tongue and the frenulum. One reason that supports this ranking is the fact that the laser used does not cause any damage to the soft tissues.

The Benefit of Laser Frenectomy in Tongue-tie

Some of the benefits that come with the use of laser in frenectomy include:

• No infection
• Reduced pain as the laser is designed to seal the patient’s nerve endings
• No needles are required
• There is less bleeding
• No sutures
• There is no recovery period required
• The parent gets to hold the child during this procedure; that is, if the parent wishes to
• Successful feeding following the completion of the treatment procedure

The Advantages of Taking Your Child for a Frenectomy Procedure

• You as the parent will get psychological relief, and both you and your child will sleep better
• Your child will thrive and develop better and healthier sleeping habits
• It helps prevent severe long-term problems related to palatal development, speech impairments, tooth spacing, and dental caries.
• It lowers the chances of choking and promotes the gradual evolution of normal swallowing patterns
• By restoring the free tongue movement, chances of developing dental decay and gum disease are lowered since the tongue is now able to cleanse the oral cavity
• The procedure results in a successful and pain-free breastfeeding experience
• The tongue’s mobility and function like licking are restored

Post-Procedure Instructions

Upon completing the procedure, parents are advised to have some pain-relieving medications for the child to make them more comfortable even though only mild pain is expected if there will be any pain at all.

How Long Does a Laser Frenectomy Take to Heal After a Tongue-tie?

This will depend on how severe your child’s condition is, their age, and the care they receive afterward.