Tongue Tie/Lip Tie

Tongue ties and lip ties are very common conditions in infants and children. These can drastically affect their speech, feeding and their overall health. We hope that this guide can help you have a better understanding of the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options.

What is a Tongue Tie and Lip Tie?

A tongue tie is when the tissue underneath the tongue is short, thick or tight which causes restrictive movement.

A lip tie is when the tissue between the upper lip and the gums are tight, attached too close to the gum line and it restricts movement of the upper lip.

Signs and Symptoms of Tongue and Lip Ties?

Infants who have a tongue tie or a lip tie may have difficulty breastfeeding, they cannot fully latch onto the breast, leading to lack of nutrition and nipple pain for the mother.

Another issue is speech difficulty, in slightly older children, a tongue tie may restrict proper pronunciations of words. This can cause lisping from not being able to properly articulate their tongue due to the restrain of the tongue or lip.

What does the Procedure Look like for Tongue and Lip Ties?

Tongue and lip ties can be performed with local anaesthesia at SmileTown: Just Kids Dentistry. If so you will have a consultation with our doctor in regards to what your childs’ treatment plan will look like.

On the treatment day, the process is super easy and simple. The doctor will carefully use specialized dental tools to carefully remove the tongue or lip tie. This procedure is very quick and simple and shouldn’t last for more than 10 minutes.

To conclude, tongue and lip ties are very common amongst children, this condition can affect the childs’ feeding, speech and oral health. We want to identify the issue as early as possible to take the proper intervention for the future of the child. If you are questioning if your child needs their tongue or lip tie done, please don’t hesitate to call SmileTown: Just Kids Dentistry at (519) 749-9981 or submit a form here.

FAQ

Restricting the motion of the tongue and lip due to tongue tie and lip tie can greatly affect the child’s oral health. This can result in problems when breastfeeding, speech development, and maintaining proper mouth health. Consequently, pediatrics might have to deal with dental caries, periodontal diseases, and eating problems. Timely action is important in avoiding these issues that may arise.

Yes, both tongue ties and lip ties influence your child’s speech growth. A tongue tie limits a person’s ability to move his or her tongue, which can, in turn, affect how speech sounds are pronounced. A lip tie restricts the motion of the lips as well, which may interfere with the production of certain phonemes. Therefore, in order to maximize children’s speech development, it is important to spot any such problems and solve them as soon as possible.

The recuperation phase that follows the treatment of a tongue-tie and lip-tie usually encompasses a few days of uneasiness. Certain exercises might also need to be performed by the patients to enable healing and functioning of the tongue or lip, respectively. The subsequent visits are vital in assessing the healing, as well as preventing any reattachment. Good dental care is important in this phase to prevent oral infections while healing takes place.

Of course, as with any surgical procedure, there are certain risks and side effects that are attendant with the treatment of tongue ties and lip ties. These may include bleeding, infection and scarring around the place of surgery. In addition, a few infants may also show signs of pain and difficulty in breastfeeding after the procedure. It is advisable to seek the opinion of a physician to explain the possible risks and advantages that the treatment entails prior to undertaking it.

Insurance coverage for tongue-tie and lip-tie treatment varies by provider and policy. Many insurance plans may cover the procedure if it’s deemed medically necessary, often requiring a referral from a healthcare professional. It’s essential to check with your insurance company and discuss your specific situation with your provider to understand the coverage options for tongue-tie and lip-tie treatments.