Frenectomies
Frenectomies
When babies develop before birth, their tongue is initially stuck to the floor of their mouth. Around the eighth week of pregnancy, the tongue finishes forming and starts to separate from the bottom of the mouth so it can move freely. Under the tongue, there is a tiny piece of tissue known as the lingual frenulum, which helps support and control its movement. Everyone is born with this tissue.
Up to 10% of babies don’t experience this separation process as it should, and they end up with a tongue tie (ankyloglossia), i.e., the tissue under their tongue is too short, thick, or tight. As a result, the movement of the tongue is restricted, which affects everything: how babies eat, breathe, and develop their mouth muscles.
At Luna Wellness Centre, we take great care in diagnosing whether a child needs to undergo a surgical procedure to release the tongue-tie with frenectomy. Not every child with a visible tongue-tie needs a frenectomy, but many do, so we are here to help guide your decision.
What Happens When a Child Has a Tongue-Tie?
It is unclear why a lip or tongue tie occurs, although some experts believe it is genetic. Babies who have a lip or tongue tie often struggle to latch properly to their mother’s breast, causing them great difficulty in gaining weight and falling/staying asleep. This affects the mother as well; they are likely to suffer from an insufficient milk supply, pain or discomfort in the nipples, and other breastfeeding-related problems.
If the infant tongue tie is not treated during the baby’s first few months of life, it can result in a number of issues, including:
Breathing problems during sleep (e.g., snoring, sleep apnea)
Trouble swallowing properly
Lower jaw sticking out
Dental issues
Shoulder pain
Clicking or popping jaw
Ringing in the ears
Speech delays
Limited tongue movement
Difficulty chewing age-appropriate foods
Jaw pain
Headaches
Stiff neck
If you are an adult who never received medical attention for your tongue or lip tie, you are much more likely to have a TMJ disorder, jaw pain, crowded teeth, high palate, and all the problems associated with mouth breathing (dry mouth, bad breath). You probably also have to visit the dentist often due to cavities, gum disease, or malocclusion (misalignment of teeth). If you snore or have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, that may also be due to your untreated tongue tie. [Source: Risks and side effects of tongue-tie in adults]
What is Lip and Tongue Tie?
As delicate as the frenulum is, it plays a critical role in supporting your tongue and lips. Without a properly functioning frenulum, everyday tasks like swallowing and speaking are extremely difficult to execute. There are two types of frenulums in the mouth: one connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth, and one connects the lips to the gums.
When the tongue frenulum is thicker, shorter, or tighter than it should be, it is known as a tongue tie. Similarly, any abnormality with the lip frenulum is known as a lip tie. The tie is present at birth but can go unnoticed until several days or weeks later. It is usually only discovered when the baby shows difficulty in not being able to latch during breastfeeding or if the mother has a painful experience during breastfeeding.
How is a Tongue Tie Treated?
At Luna Wellness Centre, we offer a quick, minor lip and tongue tie surgery to remove/loosen both the labial frenulum (between the upper front teeth and the lip) and the lingual frenulum (under the tongue). Known as a frenectomy, the process takes about 15-30 seconds under topical or local anesthesia in most cases.
The frenectomy is quicker in infants since their tissue is still developing. It takes a little more time in adults, as their frenulum is thicker, and additional tissue might need to be removed. But even then, the procedure is extremely safe and effective, and you can resume your day-to-day activities within a day or two.
Whether you have an infant with a tongue/lip tie or you are an adult, contact us to set up an appointment today. We can perform a lip tie release or labial frenectomy on either the lower or upper lip (or both). If you have sleep apnea or a TMJ disorder, getting a frenectomy can help with fitting an oral appliance.
What to Expect from Your Frenectomy Procedure
To determine if you or your child needs a frenectomy, we set up a consultation where we conduct a physical examination and discuss your experiences.
Does your baby have difficulty latching or staying latched during breastfeeding? Do they seem to have difficulty with bottle-feeding or swallowing? Do they need help articulating certain sounds or letters? This is where we closely examine their oral health, facial appearance, and mouth function. In both children and adults, a lip or tongue tie can cause a misaligned bite, teeth crowding, mouth breathing, snoring, and pain when eating, speaking, or kissing.
If the tongue appears heart-shaped or notched when it is stuck out, or if there is a gap between the front teeth that haven’t closed with age, that may also indicate a need for frenectomy. During your initial appointment, we thoroughly review all of these symptoms.
If we think your child needs a frenectomy, we work with their pediatrician to make sure you have the medical clearance for the procedure. We may also recommend working with a craniosacral therapist or a lactation consultant.
We usually recommend myofunctional therapy for a month prior to frenectomy. Children are sometimes advised to take Tylenol (if under six months and eating solid foods) or ibuprofen (if over 6 months and eating solid foods) about an hour before. It’s also a prudent idea to bring the baby hungry to the appointment so they can immediately feed afterward. You will be in the comfortable consultation room while we complete the operation—it can be over in as little as 5 minutes.
The lip or tongue tie release can be done using scissors or lasers. We may discuss the best option; regardless of the method, the tie can be removed in seconds. To make sure the frenulum heals nicely and doesn’t reattach, it is important to stretch the tongue/lip every 5-6 hours. We will also call you in for a follow-up appointment to evaluate the healing.
Schedule a Consultation Today
Diagnosing a lip or tongue tie takes a high level of knowledge and education on how oral structures should work. Not every care provider has this expertise, which is why this condition is frequently misdiagnosed as acid reflux, colic, speech disorder, or even an ear infection.
Our team of dentists at Luna Wellness Centre has performed countless frenectomies across Alberta using advanced technology and a gentle touch to ensure our patients no longer suffer from a restrictive frenulum. We do our best to work with your schedule to schedule the treatment as soon as possible. If you have any questions or would like to book an appointment, please get in touch with us.