Frenectomies/Lip and Tongue Tie in Prosper, TX

Does your baby have trouble breastfeeding or forming certain sounds? A tongue tie may be to blame. Some babies have an overly restrictive frenulum, or the soft tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth and the lips to the jaws, making feedings and speech development more difficult. WindHaven Pediatric Dentistry can perform a gentle frenectomy, during which board-certified pediatric dentist Dr. Karrie Lee releases the excess tissue and provides your child with a better range of motion. Call our pediatric dentistry clinic in Prosper, TX to learn more about this procedure and schedule an appointment for your child.

A lip or tongue tie doesn’t have to be a condition that your child has to deal with for the remainder of their growing years and the rest of their life. A frenectomy performed by Dr. Lee and the skilled team at WindHaven Pediatric Dentistry can help fix this issue and provide a number of significant benefits in the process, including:

• Improving speech patterns
• Boosting nutrition for infants with breastfeeding problems
• Decreasing the risk of future oral health issues due to a tongue or lip tie
• Reducing the risk of orthodontic issues
• Correcting breathing and airway problems, especially during sleep
• Normalizing biting and chewing capabilities
• Bettering self-confidence
  

Tongue ties limit the tongue's range of motion and can present a wide variety of signs and symptoms. The most typical symptoms of a tongue or lip tie for mothers, infants, and children include:

INFANTS

• A notched or heart-shaped appearance to the tongue when extended
• Difficulty achieving a good latch 
• Problems nursing
• Difficulty breathing while feeding
• Loud sucking and/or clicking noises while nursing
• Excessive drooling
• Falling asleep or becoming tired while nursing
• Inadequate weight gain
• Chewing or "gumming" the nipple
• Gagging and/or coughing
• Problems with gassiness and/or fussiness
• Frequent spitting up
• Inability to suck a pacifier
• Snoring and/or loud breathing
• Colic

OLDER CHILDREN

• Inability to raise the tongue to the upper teeth
• Difficulty moving the tongue side to side
• Difficulty making certain sounds or pronunciation issues
• Difficulty swallowing
• The same heart-shaped notch in the tongue when flexed/extended

MOTHER (NURSING)

• Painful breastfeeding
• Sore, cracked, or bleeding nipples
• Latch to nipple is painful
• Breast/nipple infection
• Insufficient milk drainage
• Blocked milk ducts (mastitis)
• Reduced milk production or overproduction

A consultation at WindHaven Pediatric Dentistry can determine whether your child is an ideal candidate for a frenectomy. Our pediatric dentist begins with a thorough examination while discussing your concerns and goals for treatment. Dr. Lee then assesses whether your child has any other underlying conditions that impact their ability to eat or speak. WindHaven Pediatric Dentistry may take x-rays to get a better look at the frenulum and surrounding structures. Please inform us if your child has had any previous surgeries near their mouth or tongue.

Dr. Lee completed a course in infant/ child tongue-tie and lip-ties and is now certified to provide this service. She skillfully uses a CO2 laser that provides the needed treatment with minimal pain and downtime. This quick, in-office procedure can be performed under a form of anesthesia. This allows your child to have the most seamless experience possible. Those who are particularly anxious may require a stronger form of sedation to ensure their safety and comfort. Dr. Lee or a member of our dental staff in Prosper, TX, will provide detailed post-operative instructions to ensure a smooth recovery at home.

Most children heal quickly after a frenectomy and can return to their normal routine within a short period. It is important that your child avoid hard or crunchy foods immediately following the procedure to prevent irritation at the surgical site. Dr. Lee may recommend that your child consume soft meals or a pureed diet. Good oral hygiene practices are essential to promote healing and avoid infection. Please call WindHaven Pediatric Dentistry if your child experiences unusual symptoms like excessive bleeding or pain. Our skilled pediatric dentist can provide guidance on how to manage these issues at home or determine if additional treatment is necessary.

Can older children have a frenectomy?
Most cases of a tongue or lip tie are detected and treated in early infancy. However, as children grow into adolescence, they may still have a tongue or lip tie that has gone undiagnosed. We encourage you to visit a pediatric dentist as soon as possible so we can treat symptoms like problems with speech and pronunciation.

What are the complications associated with a frenectomy?
A frenectomy is a simple procedure, and complications are rare. However, parents should always be aware of any potential risks involved with a frenectomy. These may include bleeding, infection, and damage to the soft tissues in the mouth. Our pediatric dentists take great care to minimize these risks and produce successful results.

Is frenectomy painful?
The frenectomy procedure itself should not be painful for our young patients. A trained pediatric dentist can provide guidelines — so the recovery period after treatment is as comfortable as possible in Prosper, TX. We may also prescribe medication to reduce post-procedural discomfort.

If your child is having difficulty performing simple tasks like breastfeeding, they may have a tongue tie. This condition is easily treatable with a frenectomy, which board-certified pediatric dentist Dr. Karrie Lee can perform at WindHaven Pediatric Dentistry. Call our Prosper, TX, office to schedule an appointment for your child today. Our goal is to help your child live a healthy and happy life free from these issues!