A tongue-tie occurs when the frenulum that connects the tip of the tongue to the floor of the mouth is too short. It affects a child’s ability to suck, swallow and speak properly. A tongue-tie is an issue that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. The frenulum will be released during the frenotomy procedure. It is generally a quick and painless procedure that is performed using local anesthesia. The process involves cutting the frenulum to release the tongue’s restriction and bringing it forward so that it can properly move with the child’s speech.
Why is it essential to release a tongue tie?
When a child has a tongue-tie, he or she might experience issues with speech, feeding, and swallowing. The frenulum will restrict the child’s tongue from moving freely, which may affect proper speech development. In some cases, the frenulum might prevent the roof of the mouth from closing properly. This causes food to end up in the back of a child’s throat, potentially resulting in food inhaling or choking. The frenotomy procedure helps remove these restrictions by removing parts of or cutting through the frenulum.
How can you spot a tongue-tie?
A tongue-tie may appear as a white band that connects the tip of a baby’s tongue with the floor of their mouth. It is usually located on one side of the tip and near the base of the tongue. Some babies are born with this band, and it often disappears on its own within two to four months. However, if it doesn’t disappear on its own, it may indicate a tongue tie that needs treatment. If your child has difficulties sucking properly, it could be an indication of a tongue tie. If you observe that your baby has problems moving his or her tongue freely or cannot move around freely in his or her mouth, it may be due to a tongue-tie. If your child does not respond well when you try to pick him or her up by placing your finger in his or her mouth, it could also be an indication of a tongue tie.
How should you treat a tongue-tie?
The best way to treat a tongue-tie is through a surgery known as frenotomy or frenectomy. During this procedure, our Dentist San Jose will make incisions along either side of your baby’s frenulum to free up their tongue from any restrictions and restrictions caused by their frenulum. The incisions can then be sutured with dissolvable sutures that will gradually dissolve over time as your baby grows and starts eating solid foods. Following this procedure, you should keep your baby away from solids for 24 hours following surgery so that they do not accidentally bite their stitches while they heal and start eating again after 24 hours of avoiding solids are over.
We recommend that you avoid sticky foods like gums and candies for at least one week after your baby’s surgery so that they don’t pull at their stitches while they heal. We also advise against giving water directly into their mouth for 72 hours after their surgery so that they don’t accidentally swallow any food particles while they heal.
Book an appointment with the Dentist in San Jose, CA, Galan DNTL, and we shall guide you further on treatments for tongue-tie release in children.