Tongue ties occur in 4- 11 % of newborns.
First, a consultation is necessary to determine if your child requires a frenectomy. You’ll discuss your concerns and experiences with the doctor and your child will receive an oral exam. The dentist will examine their mouth for signs of tongue and lip ties, and determine whether or not a frenectomy is the best option.
To begin the surgery, the area will be numbed using local anesthesia to ensure your child feels absolutely no pain or discomfort throughout the procedure.
There are many tools that can be used to snip the frenulum, such as lasers or scissors. Your doctor will discuss available options during the consultation, but in any case, the frenulum can be snipped in seconds. A laser minimizes bleeding and discomfort, and encourages faster healing.
With a laser frenectomy, there is no need for stitches or sutures. Proper aftercare includes cleaning the treatment site at least twice per day. Your child’s dentist may also recommend tongue or lip stretches to ensure that the frenulum heals properly and does not reattach.
A lingual frenectomy is used to treat tongue ties. Tongue ties, also called “ankyloglossia,” occur when the lingual frenulum is overdeveloped. The lingual frenulum is the band of tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth.
When the lingual frenulum is overdeveloped, your child may not be able to move their tongue properly, leading to issues with breastfeeding, chewing, and proper speech. In a lingual frenectomy, this band is snipped to ensure the tongue can move freely.
A maxillary frenectomy is performed to remove lip ties. The frenulum between the upper gums and upper lip can become overdeveloped, causing issues with proper lip movement, and even causing diastema (a gap between the front teeth). In this procedure, the frenulum will be snipped to restore proper movement of the lips, and restore your child’s oral health.
Ankyloglossia, or tongue tie is more common in boys than in girls.
Tongue and lip ties are hereditary .