Did you know that an estimated 5% to 10% of children are born with a lip or tongue-tie? These conditions happen when the band of tissue under their tongue or behind their front upper gums is too short, thick, or tight. This limits the range of motion, which can result in nursing difficulties, digestive issues, speech delay, picky eating habits, sleep issues, and constricted airways.
Your child’s pediatric dentist can perform a frenectomy or frenotomy to improve their health, but which treatment is the right one? Continue reading to learn more about both options to make an informed decision!
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What is a Frenectomy?
This surgical procedure treats lip or tongue-ties by removing the small band of connective tissue keeping your child’s tongue or lip from its full range of motion. It’s often used for kids suffering from more severely restricted movements.
Historically, this treatment involved the use of a scalpel and might require a stitch or two to keep the wound closed afterward. However, thanks to ever-upgrading dental technology and techniques, today your pediatric dentist can use a special laser instead. This concentrated beam of light cauterizes the treatment area as they work, resulting in less bleeding and significantly reduced recovery times.
What is a Frenotomy?
This service is very similar to a frenectomy and can also treat your little one’s lip or tongue-tie. Instead of completely removing the constraining tissue, they make a small incision to release it, allowing your kid to move their mouth more freely and comfortably. This procedure is ideal for children with milder cases. In fact, it’s so straightforward that even if a traditional scalpel is used, it typically doesn’t require any stitches to heal effectively.
How do I Know Which Procedure is Right for My Child?
Both of these surgeries benefit your kid’s dental and overall health by allowing a fuller range of motion so their eating and speaking habits develop normally. So how do you decide on the right course of action?
It depends on the severity of your child’s lip or tongue-tie. Your pediatric dentist will examine their mouth to determine the extent of the problem to identify an appropriate solution. Rest assured, they’ll walk you through the details of the procedure, including how it will completed and whether any recovery time will be necessary.
Thankfully, with advanced laser technology, these treatments have a success rate of 90% or more. You can enjoy peace of mind knowing that your child’s procedure will improve their dental and overall health while minimizing the potential risk of infection!
Meet the Author
Dr. Jesse Witkoff is a Board-Certified pediatric dentist with 40+ years helping patients overcome restrictive oral issues like lip and tongue-ties. He earned his dental degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed a General Practice Residency at Mount Sinai Medical Center before earning his Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Now, he stays up-to-date with current methods and state-of-the-art equipment through his membership with the American Dental Association and many other prestigious organizations. If your child has a lip or tongue-tie needing attention, you can request an appointment on the website or call (720) 743-3340.