Parents may become frustrated with kids struggling to move their lips, communicate, or eat. Your kid may be tongue- or lip-tied if they have these issues. A juvenile oral surgeon can, however, effectively manage these problems. We at BlueJay Family Dental in Council Bluffs, Iowa, are available to discuss these problems with you and their respective therapies.
What Does Being Tongue-Tied or Lip-Tied Mean For Pediatric Patients?
Tongue- or lip-tied children cannot move their mouths or lips normally. This can be brought on by a ring of tissue that has developed and connected farther along the lip or tongue line, a more pronounced frenulum, or both. These larger frenula, which limit mouth motions, prevent your child’s mouth from moving more efficiently, pronouncing words, or ingesting food.
If ignored, it might interfere with their growth. Many juvenile dentists and dental surgeons have treatments to assist your child’s situation. These treatments include the following:
- Frenectomies: A frenectomy is a straightforward procedure for newborns and early toddlers. To enhance mouth mobility, the frenula are removed during a frenectomy, one of the finest therapies for tongue and lip ties. Various sedative techniques are frequently employed depending on where the frenulum was sliced during this operation. This method can address either the upper labial frenula or the lower tongue frenula.
- Frenuloplasties: Instead of performing frenectomies to remove the frenula entirely, frenuloplasty modifies it. For the tongue or mouth to move more freely, this procedure attempts to loosen it. It can also be used to relocate the frenula and the attachment site. Like frenectomies, they can be carried out under different sedatives depending on the patient.
- Oral Myofunctional Therapy: Myofunctional therapy, a non-surgical procedure, can help your kid breathe, swallow, and speak. Many children who have or previously had frenulums frequently battle with eating and speaking because their facial muscles have adjusted to the more pronounced frenulum. With practice and the aid of this therapy, they can improve posture and coordinate their mouth movements.
If your child has tongue- or lip-tie, your pediatric team has solutions. Watch for symptoms like infant feeding fatigue, difficulty breastfeeding, eating difficulties, and poor weight gain when caring for your kid. Treatment of tongue and lip ties is straightforward and risk-free because it only requires a short amount of time and is safe for your child. Only when signs of lip or tongue tie are present, do they need to be fixed. To determine if they could be the source of the patient’s symptoms, such as speech impairment, feeding issues (bottle/breast with infants or solid foods with larger babies/children), muscular problems in the neck and back, etc., the lip and tongue should be checked. These and other manifestations of tethered mouth tissues are possible.
Visit BlueJay Family Dental Right Away for Excellent Pediatric Dental Treatment!
If you notice your child stumbling over words or having difficulty opening their mouth, call BlueJay Family Dental at (712) 256-6263 to speak with one of our pediatric dentists about your treatment options. At our Council Bluffs, Iowa, location, our staff can provide you with the finest infant dental care and be a part of your child’s oral health journey.