Tongue tie and lip tie in newborns can make it harder for mothers to breastfeed their babies, and our dentists have been certified and specialized in providing laser lip and tongue tie revisions for newborn infants, babies, and children. We have seen amazing results within minutes after the procedures, where mothers who could not breastfeed due to a bad latch were instantly able to nurse their babies. We have also seen mothers who can breastfeed, but are in discomfort and pain begin to breastfeed and nurse their babies without pain due to the lip or tongue tie revision. 

Problems Caused by Lip and Tongue Tie

The most common problem caused by the lip and tongue tie creates difficulty in breastfeeding. But if it remains untreated for extended periods, it can cause serious complications such as speech problems and problems while chewing or swallowing food. Moreover, children with a lip tie or tongue tie might have a noticeable gap in the front two teeth or can have gum recession. Lip and tongue ties also lead to problems like tonsils, adenoids, airway issues, headaches, etc.

Laser Treatment for Lip and Tongue Tie

The treatment for lip and tongue ties is simple and very quick. Dentists at our clinic, Daher Dental, use a laser to reduce the pain and speed up recovery and healing after the procedure. Before starting the procedure, dentists apply a numbing cream to the specific area that helps with comfort. Older children usually suggest they felt no pain with the laser, whereas infants can become upset while their mouths are open. As parents, you may choose to stay in the room or wait while our team gently performs this procedure.

The laser gently removes the frenulum tissue with very minimal bleeding, and there is no need for stitches after. We recommend that you breastfeed, nurse or feed the infant right after the procedure. We will offer you a room to nurse your baby to make it easier for you. 

After the procedure, you will find that your child or infant will return to normal within 24 hours, and we will provide you with stretching exercises to perform to ensure the mouth heals properly. We also work with many different lactation consultants if you need help or have questions. We can guide you to professional help with nursing and breastfeeding your baby.

Benefits of Lip Tie and Tongue Tie Laser Surgery

Lip tie and tongue tie surgeries have significant benefits in both infants and children. Therefore, if your child is showing symptoms of lip or tongue ties, contact us right away and get this issue resolved by highly proficient and expert dentists at our clinic.

1. Improved Breathing

Tongue position directly affects your breathing. When a child has a tongue tie, his tongue might not be able to move out of the way, restricting the passage of air through the throat. This leads to more mouth breathing. It can also make the tongue fall back and close off the throat at night which results in snoring or sleep apnea.

Tongue position also affects how the mouth develops. Since the shape of jaws helps define the size of the airway, a tongue tie can become a reason for the development of a narrow airway that is more prone to collapse. Lip and tongue tie surgeries can free up the tongue, which helps it move out of the way and make it easier for children to breathe at night and during the day. 

2. Clear Speech

Lip and tongue ties can also cause difficulty in speech articulation in children. Tongue and lip tie result in speech delays due to the shorter range of motion possible for the tongue. Children having lip or tongue tie issues find difficulty pronouncing certain words. Lip or tongue tie surgery can effectively eliminate such problems and enable the healthy development of your children’s speech abilities.

3. Development of Normal Swallowing Patterns

Tongue and lip tie cause an inability to swallow normally, causing difficulties in eating. Lip and tongue ties also become a reason for pushing growing teeth out of alignment. Sleep-disordered breathing is also a common problem as the tongue sits back in the mouth and restricts the air passageway. Lip or tongue tie surgery can effectively eradicate all the issues and allow the development of normal swallowing patterns in children. In short, this surgery effectively improves the oral health of your children.

Potential Risks of Laser Lip & Tongue Tie Revision

As with other surgical procedures, a lip or tongue tie revision also carries the potential for undesirable risks or side effects, including postoperative bleeding, pain, or weight loss, while the child adapts to a new way of feeding. In some rare cases, a tongue tie revision could result in breathing problems.

To prevent potential adverse outcomes, our dentists will partner with you to fully evaluate and examine an infant’s oral anatomy and other factors impacting breastfeeding before performing the lip or tongue tie surgery.

Read one of our paitents’ reviews about her experience:

5 months ago-

Very friendly staff, I felt comfortable right when I walked in. Dr. Loubani was very informative, talked me through the whole tongue tie procedure for my one week old baby. He did an amazing job and my baby was good after, did not fuss or show any discomfort. I highly recommend him.