Frenectomies In Santa Teresa & El Paso

Lip ties and tongue ties are fairly common issues for infants and toddlers. The effects of these conditions aren’t always immediately noticeable, but they can have an impact on everyday tasks like eating & digestion and can make speech development more difficult. Fortunately, these problems can be corrected through a surgical procedure called a frenectomy or frenotomy. If you think your child may be struggling with a tongue tie or lip tie, reach out to our office to schedule your appointment!

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What Are Tongue Ties and Lip Ties?

There are small bands of tissue in everyone’s mouths called frenulums. These bands connect different parts of the mouth.

Tongue Tie is a condition that some babies are born with, where the frenulum that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth is too tight. Medically referred to as ankyloglossia, this condition restricts the movement of the tongue.

Lip Tie also refers to an overly tight frenulum, in this case between the upper gum and the upper lip. The restriction of movement for the upper lip causes similar problems and can similarly be resolved by a frenectomy. Both conditions can result in symptoms such as:

Difficulty nursing
Slowed weight gain
Slowed or difficult speech development
Gaps between the front teeth
Increased risk of tooth decay and infection

How Does a Frenectomy Work?

During a frenectomy, the frenulum is trimmed or removed to restore full range of movement. While technically a surgical procedure, this is considered minimally invasive. In most cases it only requires a topical or local anesthetic. Tongue tie and lip tie treatment can be performed with either a scalpel or laser therapy. Both approaches rarely cause complications beyond minor bleeding and soreness. The treatment is safe enough for babies and young children, and can even be performed for adults who may never have had a frenectomy when they were young.

If you’ve been searching for a dentist near you who can treat tongue-ties, Santa Teresa Smiles can help! Schedule your tongue tie or lip tie revision today.

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