Enhancing Oral Health and Function with Tongue and Lip Tie Release

About 4-11% of infants are born with a tongue tie (ankyloglossia). This condition occurs when the baby is born with a tight band tissue (lingual frenulum), mooring the tongue to the floor of the mouth, which limits its movement. Lip-tie also happens at birth when the soft tissue linking the upper lip (labial frenulum) to the gums is attached too closely, restricting the lip’s ability to flare out. Tongue or lip ties affect infant breastfeeding and cause speech disorders in older children.

Hindman Family Dentistry uses laser treatments to release tongue and lip ties. Dr. Joshua Hindman prefers laser surgical correction because it’s faster and reduces healing time. If you or your young one have a tongue or lip tie, we encourage you to visit our Sioux City, Iowa, office for minimally invasive laser surgery.

Symptoms of tongue and lip ties

If your baby has a tied tongue or lip, they may experience the symptoms below. 

  • Poor latch when breastfeeding
  • Gassiness
  • Inability to stick the tongue out
  • Difficulty pronouncing certain words
  • Gumming or chewing on nipples
  • Milk leaking from the corner of the mouth when breastfeeding
  • Poor weight gain
  • Limited tongue movement when eating or speaking

Ankyloglossia isn’t just a concern for babies only. The nursing mom may experience unpleasant symptoms like nipple pain, cracked nipples, and mastitis.

Treatment for tongue or lip ties

Untreated tongue and lip ties don’t just cause feeding and speech problems — this condition can lead to mouth breathing, acid reflux, misaligned teeth, and sleep apnea. Treating ankyloglossia involves a frenectomy to “release” the restrictive band tissue (frenulum) that limits the lip or tongue movement.

Traditionally, doctors used scalpels to cut the frenulum to correct tongue and lip ties. With laser dentistry, you no longer need invasive dental treatments for ankyloglossia. Laser surgery uses a beam of focused light to release the tie quickly with minimal pain and bleeding. What’s more, lasers are precise. They only target the frenulum, leaving the adjacent tissues intact. You also don’t need sutures.

Laser surgery near me

Dr. Joshua Hindman wants to set up your child for a healthy life with painless tongue and lip tie release. Immediately after treatment, infants latch better when breastfeeding, and older children gain renewed confidence to speak without speech impediments. If you’d like to benefit from laser surgical correction in Sioux City, IA, please call (712) 274-2228 at your earliest convenience.