Does your baby have trouble latching on when breastfeeding? Is your child having difficulty with many textures in solid food? Does your child struggle with making specific sounds as they speak? They could have a lip or tongue tie interfering with their oral function. Here with Dr. Gandhi, we can examine your little one and take necessary action through a frenectomy in Murphy! To see if a lip or tongue tie could be causing problems, contact us and schedule a consultation today!
How Do Lip and Tongue Ties Develop?
Whether their lip or tongue tie identified soon after birth or later in your child’s life, you may be wondering if you did something wrong, but you didn’t! During gestation, the excess tissue connecting the upper lip to the gums and the tongue to the floor of the mouth is supposed to disappear while your baby is in utero. In some cases, for whatever reason, this tissue remains after birth.
Why is it Important to Treat Lip & Tongue Ties?
Having a tiny bit of tissue, called a frenulum, under the tongue or upper lip doesn’t automatically mean it needs to be removed. However, when the frenulum is especially thick or restrictive, it can impair a child’s ability to latch on properly while nursing and eventually have trouble eating solid foods. Later on, they can experience difficulty articulating certain sounds while learning to talk. Fortunately, this problem can quickly be resolved through a simple procedure.
Lip & Tongue Tie Treatment
To perform a frenectomy, or treatment for lip and tongue ties, traditionally the excess tissue needed to be cut with a scalpel. As you might imagine, this procedure wasn’t particularly comfortable and caused some bleeding. At Murphy Dental Home, we take advantage of some of the industry’s most advanced technology, which in this case is a soft tissue laser. This device severs and cauterizes soft tissue gently with very little pain and bleeding.
Does a Frenectomy Hurt?
With traditional instruments, a frenectomy could be an uncomfortable experience for little ones. However, Dr. Gandhi uses a soft tissue laser that gently releases and seals the restricted tissue in one motion. That means there’s very little pain and minimal bleeding.
Most children tolerate the procedure well, and because the laser seals the tissue as it works, there's less need for stitches and a lower risk of post-procedure complications, like bleeding, soreness, or reattachment. If you're worried about your child's comfort, rest easy. Frenectomies are one of the gentlest procedures we offer.
How Long Does a Frenectomy Take?
One of the biggest advantages of a laser frenectomy is how quickly it's over. The procedure itself typically takes only a few minutes once your child is comfortable and the area is prepared. That means less time in our office and more time with your child recovering at home.
There’s typically a brief consultation before and after the procedure to offer guidance, which is often longer than the procedure itself. The laser works with precision and speed, so your child should only be in the chair for around 5 to 15 minutes on average. That means the entire appointment can be over in under an hour!
How Long Does It Take to See Improvement After a Frenectomy?
Many parents notice changes in their child quickly, sometimes within days of the procedure. Infants often show signs of recovery immediately, which is why we encourage breastfeeding soon after. For older children dealing with speech or feeding difficulties, improvement tends to be more gradual, especially if follow-up stretches or speech therapy are part of the recovery plan.
That said, every child heals a little differently, so recovery times can vary, but most families have been excited to tell us about their progress within the first few weeks! Dr. Gandhi will set clear expectations at your consultation based on your child's case.
What Are the Dangers of Doing a Frenectomy Yourself?
You may have seen videos or posts online claiming you can fix a lip tie or tongue tie at home, but attempting a DIY frenectomy is extremely dangerous and should never be done. The frenulum is surrounded by sensitive nerves, blood vessels, and soft tissue, so even a small mistake can cause bleeding, infection, or permanent damage.
Without proper training and sterile equipment, the risk of serious injury or sickness is very high. Plus, there's no way to guarantee the tissue is released correctly or completely. If your child is struggling with a lip or tongue tie, the safest path forward is professional care. Our team is experienced in children’s dentistry and can support your child's oral health from the very start.
