Frenectomy in Alexandria, VA

Tongue and Lip Tie Treatment (Frenectomy)

Does your newborn or infant have a hard time nursing? We highly recommend a consultation with a lactation specialist first. They have a wealth of knowledge on techniques and gems that are invaluable and can be a first line in detecting an anatomical restriction.

If it’s determined they are restricted (we can help identify this as well), a lip tie or tongue tie may be the problem. This condition is much more common than previously understood, and it’s wonderful we have a relatively simple procedure to this problem.

At Alexandria Children's Dentistry, we offer a quick treatment to allow proper oral movement: frenectomies. This lip and/or tongue tie treatment is quick, easy, and virtually painless thanks to our CO2 Solea Dental Laser. To learn more about tongue and lip tie treatment in Alexandria, Virginia, keep reading!

What is a Tongue and/or a Lip Tie?

A tongue tie is when the supporting tissue under your child’s tongue becomes too thick.

A lip tie is when the small band of tissue under your child’s upper lip becomes too thick. Either way, the overdeveloped tissue doesn’t allow the correct movement and has the potential to make it hard to nurse, eat, or speak clearly and properly. Doctors are still unsure what causes lip or tongue ties to occur, but the data suggests that they run in families. While this condition is usually detected and treated in infancy, it can also be diagnosed later in life.

Why is It Important to Treat Tongue and Lip Ties?

It’s important to note that not every tongue or lip tie needs to be treated. However, we do encourage treatment if the restriction causes barriers to optimal daily activities. Here are some examples where we usually will recommend treatment:

Difficulty eating or chewing
Difficulty breastfeeding
Difficulty with speech (diagnosed by a speech therapist)
Difficulty closing their mouth (constantly having an open mouth posture)
Difficulty with Breathing and Airway

If any of these situations concern you, we encourage you to give our office a call, so we can consult and help with a proper diagnosis. We also have a wonderful group to collaborate with: speech therapists, myofunctional therapists, ENT physicians, and lactation specialists that are important for an interdisciplinary approach to correcting these types of restrictions.

If you are worried that your child may have a lip or tongue tie, or if they are exhibiting any of the above symptoms, we encourage you to bring them in for a quick evaluation. We’ll be able to identify the lip or tongue tie and determine if it needs to be treated or if they’re likely to grow out of it.

Tongue and Lip Tie Treatment (the Frenectomy)

At Alexandria Children's Dentistry, we can quickly and easily treat tongue or lip ties with a simple frenectomy. This procedure works largely the same for patients of all ages and can be completed in a single appointment. We coordinate with lactation specialists, speech therapists, myofunctional therapists, and ENT physicians to ensure our patients get the total care they need.

If we determine that a frenectomy is necessary, we are able to use our advanced CO2 Solea Dental laser for the procedure. This advanced piece of dental technology is far faster, more comfortable, and more precise than traditional lip and tongue tie treatment. Plus, it’s minimally invasive and promotes a faster recovery time! To learn more about our laser, frenectomies, or lip and tongue ties, we encourage you to give us a call, or schedule a consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions

A frenectomy is a simple procedure that releases overly tight or thick tissue connecting the tongue to the floor of the mouth, or the upper lip to the gum line. It is recommended when the tissue, called a frenum, is restrictive enough to interfere with nursing, eating, speech, breathing, or mouth posture. Not every tongue tie or lip tie requires treatment, and we evaluate each child individually to determine whether intervention is truly beneficial.

A tongue tie occurs when the band of tissue beneath the tongue is too thick or short, limiting how freely the tongue can move. A lip tie occurs when the tissue connecting the upper lip to the gum line is overly developed, restricting how the lip moves and lifts. Both conditions can be present at the same time, and both can affect feeding, speech, and oral function depending on the degree of restriction.

Common signs in newborns and infants include difficulty latching during breastfeeding, poor weight gain, prolonged or painful nursing sessions, clicking sounds during feeding, and excessive gas from swallowing air. In older children, signs can include difficulty chewing certain foods, unclear speech, open mouth posture, or difficulty with breathing and airway function. We recommend starting with a lactation specialist for nursing concerns, as they are often the first to identify feeding-related restrictions and can help determine whether a structural issue may be involved.

We perform frenectomies using a CO2 Solea Dental Laser, which makes the procedure significantly more comfortable than traditional methods. The laser is precise, minimally invasive, and causes very little discomfort. Most infants and young children tolerate the procedure well, and recovery time is typically faster compared to older techniques. We take every step to make sure your child is as comfortable as possible throughout.

Many parents notice an improvement in latch and nursing comfort shortly after the procedure, sometimes within the same day. However, improvement can take time, particularly as your baby learns to use their tongue and lip with greater freedom. Continued support from a lactation specialist and, in some cases, a myofunctional therapist, is an important part of getting the best outcome after a frenectomy.