Our Queensland clinic provides a welcoming KID friendly reception and other special features such as our “Nurture Room”. Here you can relax before, during and after Lip and Tongue Tie care procedures.

A tongue tie is when the lingual frenum — the strip of skin just below the tongue that attaches to the floor of the mouth — is too tight and restricts the movement of the tongue as a whole. Sometimes the frenum is thick and other times it attaches too close to the tip of the tongue, both of which can impede its normal range of motion.

When we loosen the frenum (either with a laser or making a small incision,) we call the procedure a “frenectomy.” But most people refer to it as a tongue tie or lip tie treatment.

If your baby, toddler, or child has a tongue tie, it can lead to problems such as:

•   Difficulty nursing or sucking

•   Cleft tongue

•   Problems eating or drinking

•   Delayed speech development

•   Speech impediments

•   Self-consciousness

Similar to a tongue tie, lip ties affect lip mobility and may lead to unwanted gum recession or speech impediments.

Loosening a tongue tie can offer immediate relief for your child, especially if they’re still nursing or drinking from a bottle. It’s not uncommon for our children’s dental practice to see newborns for this procedure (or to just ease their parent’s mind!)

Tongue tie treatments are minimally invasive and take only a few moments to complete, without the need for any numbing medication. As soon as we release the tissue, the tongue will be able to have a wider range of motion. For babies, this means easier feedings and a better latch on the very same day.

Most non invasive tongue tie treatments are completed with a gentle soft tissue laser, or by physically trimming the tissue with a very small instrument. When a laser is used, very minimal recovery time is necessary, as it prevents any bleeding or swelling at the source of the frenectomy.

Older children are often encouraged to suck on popsicles to keep the area cool and comfortable while they recover that day. Special tongue exercises can help them explore new tongue movements and see added improvement from their tongue tie treatment.

A lip tie restricts the range of motion in your child’s lip and can pull against the gum tissues next to their teeth. As a result, the roots of the teeth can become exposed or the lip may not move adequately when your child is speaking. In some cases the frenum may be so tight that it prevents the lips from closing together all the way when your child’s mouth is at rest.

Book an evaluation at our Mackay, QLD office today to get the answers you need!