San Francisco and Marin CA
To be such a small piece of skin, the labial and lingual frenulum — that small piece of tissue connecting your upper lip to your gum and your tongue to the floor of your mouth — can cause some really big problems in infants and toddlers. Follow along today as our San Francisco pediatric dentist who specializes in tongue- and lip-tie releases explains what these ties are, how they can negatively impact your child’s growth and development and how we can quickly and painlessly treat them.
Children can be born with one of two different ties:
A lip-tie happens when the labial frenulum—the tissue connecting the upper lip to the gum — is unusually tight or thick.
A tongue-tie is when the lingual frenulum — the small piece of tissue connecting the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth — is too short or tight, restricting the tongue’s movement.
How do lip and/or tongue ties stunt a child’s development?
Tethered oral tissue can harm a child’s oral function and development.
Here are four ways how:
- Breastfeeding
Because of the restricted movement of the upper lip and/or tongue, ties can cause a baby to have trouble latching onto his or her mother, creating issues with breastfeeding.
- Delayed speech development
Lip ties an tongue ties can contribute to speech delays or difficulties in a developing child. The limited range of motion in the upper lip and tongue can hinder the proper formation of certain sounds.
- Oral health issues
Tethered oral tissue can lead to dental issues like teeth misalignment, gaps between the teeth and even tooth decay. These issues can grow worse over time.
- Nutrition deficiencies
If a lip- or tongue-tie is not addressed during infancy, older children can have difficulties eating solid foods. They may choke, throw up or develop gastrointestinal issues because of being unable to chew properly. This can lead to malnutrition which causes their teeth and bones to weaken, increasing the intensity of dental issues.
How is tethered oral tissue treated?
Our Marin family dentist can treat a tongue-tie in one visit to our Glen Park Dental office. Known as a frenectomy, we use a soft tissue laser to sever the tie and restore the tongue’s full range of motion.
Tongue-tie and lip-tie releases in the Bay Area
If your baby is having trouble breastfeeding and you suspect a lip-tie or tongue-tie, give Glen Park Dental a call at (415) 799-3900, or reach out to us online so we can schedule an appointment. We can help you and your child enjoy a better quality of life, free from pain and the feelings of helplessness caused by tethered oral tissue.
