Tongue Ties: A Complete Guide

In the event of a pregnancy, every parent wishes for a kid born free from any complications. However, tongue tie affects roughly 5 percent of newborns. The medical term for this condition is called ankyloglossia, and it describes a condition in which the tongue becomes fused to the oral floor. The youngster may also experience problems with his or her lips if this ailment is not handled.

Fortunately, advances in both technology and research have made tongue knots more treatable and simpler to manage than in the past. Dental offices like NOLA Pediatric Dentistry provide laser frenectomy in New Orleans, LA.

The Problems Caused by a Tied Tongue

Despite the fact that the root cause of tongue tie is still a mystery, the effects on a youngster are readily apparent. Problems begin even before kids are born:

Breastfeeding

A tongue-tied newborn may have trouble getting a good latch on the breast and nursing. Babies may become fussy and irritable during feedings, and mothers may have nipple discomfort and cracking. Tongue tie is another possible reason of low birth weight in infants.

Choking can occur even if the infant is able to latch on, because of problems with swallowing. After being nursed, they may also drool more than other infants by a considerable amount.

Speaking

Your child's speech may be affected if the tongue tie is allowed to last until adulthood. Some noises and sounds can't be made because the tongue is stuck at the floor of the mouth. This might lead to a speech pattern characterized by pauses and stuttering, as well as difficulties in pronouncing certain words correctly. Rarely, tongue knots can hinder a person's swallowing abilities, leading to difficulties with both eating and drinking.

Dental Issues

Poor oral hygiene is another problem associated with a tongue knot. The tongue's position near the floor of the mouth makes it difficult to properly brush and floss the teeth. Thus, there is a possibility that tongue-tie might lead to cavities. Thus, dentists have taken a more active role in treating the problem, leading to the availability of laser frenectomy.

What Exactly is a Laser Frenectomy?

The tongue may be able to close on its own in mild cases of tongue tie, but in more severe cases, treatment is necessary. Although some parents opt to have their kids' tongues cut, this sometimes results in massive bleeding and the need for sutures. Since laser frenectomy is both less invasive and less risky than traditional methods, it has gained popularity in recent years.

A laser is used to make a tiny incision in the frenulum, the tissue that connects the tongue or lip to the floor of the mouth. The frenulum can relax and move more freely as a result of this. Most laser frenectomy procedures take less than 10 minutes to finish. Similarly, the time needed to recover is brief, with most patients being back to normal within a week. There is a lot of faith in the efficacy and safety of this operation for treating tongue and lip knots.

Your Child Can Benefit From NOLA's Pediatric Dentists

NOLA Pediatric Dentistry, which cares about the dental health of all of its young patients, offers the procedure even though not all dentists do. Dr. Kris Norbo, the clinic's dentist, genuinely cares about his patients and uses reassuring, soothing language with them.

Special needs dentistry, sedation dentistry, and interceptive orthodontics are just some of the specialized services provided by the New Orleans, LA clinic. You can trust that Dr. Kris will find your child the appropriate care for whatever problem they're having.

Tongue tie treatment has improved over the years, but it still has its drawbacks. Your child will have a better chance at a full and trouble-free life if you take care of it when they are young. Please get in touch with NOLA Pediatric Dentistry right away if laser frenectomy is something you're considering.