Most children are born with a lip or tongue-tie that stretch and allow for normal oral functioning. However, some babies have a thicker, more restricted band of tissue in these areas, making even regular movement of the tongue or lip much more difficult. Should you notice your little one struggling to latch during breastfeeding or does not care to take a bottle, it may be time to consider a frenectomy. Let a local pediatric dentist explain why an untreated lip or tongue-tie can lead to more serious problems in the future and how this simple and easy procedure can help.
What Happens to Untreated Lip or Tongue-Ties?
Whether it is your baby, child, or teenager who has a lip and/or tongue-tie, the signs and problems that can occur vary at each stage of life. Most often, babies with a lip or tongue-tie will be treated at a young age because of the ease of the procedure. Many pediatric dentists also prefer to perform a frenectomy while your child is still an infant simply because it reduces the chances of future problems.
For an infant, you can expect:
- Difficulty latching during breastfeeding
- Unwillingness to take a bottle to feed
- Difficulty gaining weight
- Extreme fatigue after nursing
- Colic
- Your baby to fall asleep or make a clicking sound while nursing
- Your child to have trouble breathing while nursing
As a mother, you might also experience pain while breastfeeding, blocked milk ducts, feeling engorged after nursing, and even extreme fatigue from continuous feedings.
Should their lip or tongue-tie not be addressed during infancy, your child can develop problems with their speech, a large gap between their upper front two teeth, mouth breathing, difficulty breathing while asleep, and even low self-esteem.
How Can a Frenectomy Help?
Should you take your child to see a pediatric dentist, you can expect them to recommend a laser frenectomy for this particular issue. While this might sound scary, the truth is that it is extremely quick and easy for both you and your child. The use of a soft tissue laser allows the dentist to release the lip or tongue-tie without the instrument making direct contact with the mouth.
As it moves, it cauterizes the tissue, minimizing the potential for bleeding and reducing the possibility of swelling. This ensures your child will have a much easier recovery process at home and will quickly begin to feed normally. Within a matter of minutes, they will have a wider range of motion when using their tongue and/or lip, but don’t be surprised if they need assistance to learn this new movement.
Although the idea of a laser frenectomy might seem a bit unnerving to a parent, you can trust that this new and innovative way to care for lip and tongue-ties is much safer and more precise. As a result, you and your little one can begin to enjoy a more nurturing and enjoyable experience together.
About the Author
At Simply Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, our team of professionals understands a lip or tongue-tie can cause many problems for your baby. From an inability to latch to poor weight gain, these restricted bands of tissue can quickly be remedied with the help of a frenectomy. Fortunately, our team is skilled to perform this type of procedure in-house, allowing you and your little one to remain in a comfortable and familiar environment. If your baby is experiencing difficulty eating or is not gaining adequate weight, visit our website.