Safely and Effectively Treating Lip-Tie and Tongue-Tie

Lip-tie and tongue-tie are serious conditions impacting many people around the world. It’s important to recognize the signs and symptoms of lip-tie and tongue-tie and contact your dentist or family doctor in Kingston right away if this is something you or your child are suffering from.

What is Lip-Tie?

One part of the human body that most people have never heard of is called the frenum, which is a thin piece of tissue connecting the inside of the upper lip with the upper jaw. In most people, the frenum is short, remaining high enough in the mouth to avoid disrupting the natural movement of the lip.

The natural movement of the lip includes a natural shape curving up towards the nose, with the easy ability to stretch up to touch the tip of the nose without much resistance. However, in some people, the frenum extends low, restricting lip movement. This is called lip-tie.

What is Tongue-Tie?

We also have a lingual frenum, which is a thin piece of tissue that connects the bottom of the tongue to the lower jaw. This frenum is meant to detach before a baby is born, but it’s quite common for infants to be born with a thicker frenum that gets in the way of the natural movement of the lips. This is called tongue-tie, and in severe cases, tongue-tie can present physically as a heart-shaped tongue.

In most people, the tongue can easily protrude from the mouth and move side-to-side. This is not possible for people with tongue-tie.

Lip-tie and tongue-tie treatment options

The team at Greenwood Park Dentistry is specially trained to recognize lip-tie and tongue-tie, and treat the problem with a frenectomy, returning the patient to a life that includes fully functional lips, jaw, tongue and palate.

What is a frenectomy?

A frenectomy is a procedure where any binding tissue on the body is cut or altered. In the case of lip-tie or tongue-tie, a frenectomy is the removal of the frenum or lingual frenum. At Greenwood Park Dentistry, we perform frenectomies using the Fontant Lightwalker Soft Tissue Laser.

Typically, frenectomies are performed by a dentist using a scalpel or surgical scissors to cut the frenum. This is effective but can cause more discomfort and require more healing time than necessary. Equipped with the Fontant Lightwalker Soft Tissue Laser, Dr. Moe Tabesh at Greenwood Park Dentistry can use this cutting edge new dental technology to perform periodontics and soft-tissue surgeries like a frenectomies faster, easier, less-invasively and more comfortably than conventional treatments.

To perform a frenectomy using the Fontant Lightwalker Soft Tissue Laser, the patient will be secured lying face-up in the dental office. A topical anaesthetic will often be used to numb the area, and the laser will be used to detach the frenum.

If you’re ready to speak to your dentist about a frenectomy, click here to schedule an appointment.