Tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) is a condition present at birth that restricts the tongue’s natural range of motion. A tongue tie, an unusually short, thick, or tight band of tissue (lingual frenulum), tethers or ties the bottom of the tongue’s tip to the floor of the mouth, so that it may interfere with breastfeeding and speech. If an infant cannot breastfeed properly, its development and immune system may be affected since the baby cannot drink its mother’s antibody-rich breast milk. We recommend checking out the following link to Breastfeeding USA to see how a tongue-tie can impact breastfeeding and childhood development.
This condition is often treated with a CO2 Laser through a Frenectomy procedure. Dr. Alexa Previti is a Tongue-Tie Dentist passionate about treating infant tongue ties and helping improve the mother-infant bond created during breastfeeding early in life. She has received formal training in this field of dentistry and utilizes a specialized CO2 Laser dedicated to tongue tie releases in infants and adults.
An infant tongue tie often looks normal to the untrained eye. However, more important than the way it looks is assessing tongue movement, symptoms, and having the area palpated by a trained professional. Early treatment is crucial to minimize the effects of a tongue tie.
There are several classes of tongue-ties, and some are harder to assess than others. A trained professional such as Dr. Previti will feel the area below the tongue to assess for an anterior tongue-tie and posterior tongue-ties. Range of motion and function will also be assessed.
and Failure to Latch
Without treating tongue tie, it can affect the health of your child at different ages. During infancy, an untreated tongue tie can make breastfeeding difficult or impossible.
Poor bonding between mother and baby, as well as sleep deprivation for both the mother and baby. Sleep deprivation can cause problems with a child’s growth and development as well as impair brain development and learning.
This can be frustrating and painful for the child’s mother and may even give the mother the feeling of failure. This often makes forming that initial bond with the baby more challenging. An infant tongue-tie is easy to miss and is usually not examined in the hospital setting. It is more likely than not to be caught by lactation consultants or during an infant tongue-tie evaluation at a dental office.
Formula feeding is often considered a replacement for breastfeeding, but this is not without consequences. Bottle feeding has been associated with adverse health outcomes for both mothers and infants, ranging from infectious morbidity to chronic disease. Given the compelling evidence for differences in health outcomes, breastfeeding should be acknowledged as the primary source for infant feeding. Allergies and respiratory illnesses are far more common in formula-fed babies. Read this article by John Hopkins for more information.
Attention Deficits
Children with a tongue tie often develop breathing issues in their sleep. Lack of sleep may present with attention and behavioral problems and usually leads to the misdiagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. So, if your child is taking Adderall or has been diagnosed with ADHD, we suggest a tongue tie and sleep study to rule out sleep apnea. Studies suggest that as many as 25% of children diagnosed with ADHD actually may have symptoms of OSA and that much of their learning difficulty and behavior problems may be due to chronic, fragmented sleep. Speech Impediments: According to an article by the Mayo Clinic, a tongue tie can interfere with the ability to make certain sounds—such as “t,” “d,” “z,” “s,” “th,” “r,” and “l.”
Depending on the symptoms present, adults may undergo treatment to release the tongue. Common tongue-tied symptoms may include headaches, TMJ, neck soreness, mouth breathing, poor sleep, and speech issues. Adults undergoing treatment also typically consult a myofunctional therapist to ensure the tongue relearns how to function properly without all the strain and tension present since infancy.
A frenectomy is a minor procedure to correct a lip or tongue tie. It uses the Light Scalpel CO2 Laser to loosen or remove the restrictive tissue, allowing a patient’s lips and tongue to move freely. Releasing a tongue from its restriction ensures the patient can eat, speak, and breathe with ease again.
Infant and Adult Tongue-Tie
Tongue exercises are essential before and after the procedure to prevent reattachment. This will help you learn to properly utilize your tongue as designed, since you will need to unlearn all the poor habits you developed trying to compensate for a tongue tie. Faceology is a good resource for more information.
First and foremost, immediate breastfeeding is crucial to prevent reattachment and allow your baby to learn to properly utilize their tongue in swallowing and breastfeeding. Your provider will show you how to care for the surgical site properly.
Your provider will provide you with detailed post-operative instructions.
Laser Frenectomies?
Doctors have been performing frenectomies for decades, but in the past, instead of using a laser, they relied on scalpels and sutures. Even when performed by a skilled clinician, using these methods could be uncomfortable, leading to bleeding and a lot of pain/swelling post-operatively. It’s also hard to be accurate with these instruments, especially when treating tiny infants. Thankfully, modern-day lasers make all of these concerns a thing of the past, as they give dentists maximum control while offering maximum comfort for the patient.
The LightScalpel laser emits an extremely focused beam of light that can be used to precisely cut or remove unnecessary oral soft tissue. The instrument itself generates practically no heat, sound, or vibration, so the patient barely feels anything throughout the treatment.
The laser cauterizes and sanitizes as it goes, preventing bleeding. This makes recovery quicker and more comfortable and dramatically reduces the risk of complications.
Many types of lasers available today can be used to perform frenectomies, and the LightScalpel stands head and shoulders above them. It can achieve accuracy beyond typical diode lasers, allowing our dentists to take an extremely conservative approach. This means we only remove as much tissue as needed and no more. This reduces bleeding, pain, and swelling significantly.
Schedule your visit with our dentists in Egg Harbor Township, NJ and take the first step toward a healthier smile.
