Looking for the best place for your child to undergo a laser frenectomy, tongue tie, lip tie, or cheek tie in Tenafly, NJ?
Tongue ties, lip ties, and cheek ties are also known as tethered oral tissues (TOTS). Ties are caused by a frenum, a fibrous tissue that connects and holds other tissues in place. Sometimes a frenum might be short, thick, or tight and might extend too far down along the tongue, gum, palate, or cheeks to result in a tongue tie, lip tie, or cheek tie. When a frenum is positioned to interfere with normal function or constrict the movement of the tongue, lips, or cheeks, it can be corrected by a surgery called a frenectomy.
At East Madison Dental in Tenafly, our treatment philosophy is symptom-driven, meaning will only perform a frenectomy if our dentists detect an impediment to tongue function.
Tongue Ties
Tongue-tie is caused by a lingual frenulum (the membrane under the tongue) that is either too short or too thick. For a newborn, a tongue-tie can make breastfeeding difficult for the infant and painful for the mother because the lip’s or tongue’s limited movement prevents the infant from properly latching on.
An infant experiencing tongue tie may have symptoms like:
- Poor latch on breast or bottle
- Falls asleep while feeding
- Slides off the nipple when feeding
- Cries often / fussy feeder
- Reflux, spitting up
- Clicking sounds
- Poor weight gain
- Frequent feedings or lengthy feedings
- Frustration when feeding
Toddlers, children and adults with a tongue tie may experience symptoms like:
- Difficulty eating solid foods (comes across as a fussy eater)
- Speech difficulties
- High vaulted palate
- Orthodontic constriction
- Gum recession
- Sleep apnea
- Mouth breathing
- Possible link of ADD/ADHD due to airway obstruction
- Posture problems
- Headaches or neck and shoulder aches
Lip Ties
Babies with lip ties often have difficulty flanging their lips properly to feed and don’t make a good seal at the breast when latching. Lip ties can cause them to take in excess air during breastfeeding, making these babies gassy and fussy. If left untreated, it can eventually impair the child’s proper tooth alignment or increase the risk of tooth decay.
Symptoms of Lip Ties include:
- Leakage of milk around the mouth when feeding
- Gassy
- Colicky
- Spitting Up
- Poor flanging of lip
- Poor sealing while feeding
Cheek Ties
Cheek ties connect the cheek to the bony ridge on the upper jaw. When the tissue impedes the normal function of the cheek to generate suction or effect the seal around the nipple, we may release the cheek ties.
Laser Frenectomy
At East Madison Dental Tenafly, we offer laser frenectomies, using a laser to detach the frenulum from the lips, tongue, and/or cheek. Frenectomies may be done with a simple topical anesthetic or local injection. Sedation is unnecessary, and the quick procedure is completed in under 5-6 minutes at our Tenafly, NJ dental office.
The benefits of using a laser for the frenectomy are reduced bleeding and scarring, less postoperative pain, shorter healing time, less risk of reattachment, and fewer functional complications.
Frenectomy Healing and Recovery
The mouth heals very quickly, and bleeding after a frenectomy is usually minimal. After your frenectomy procedure at East Madison Dental, it is important to stretch and massage the tongue at least three times a day for three weeks to prevent the tongue from reattaching as it heals. We discourage the usage of a pacifier.
Most babies experience minimal discomfort after the procedure, and breastfeeding provides natural pain relief. Please speak with your pediatrician if you have questions about medication.
Schedule Your Consultation
If you suspect you may need to schedule a gentle laser frenectomy for a tongue tie, lip tie, or cheek tie, contact us today to schedule a consultation with our dentists. Our team will ensure comfort for you and your child every step of the way!
