Tongue Tie Treatment in North Richland Hills, Texas at Smile Houzz
If your infant or child has a tongue-tie, visit Smile Houzz for treatment options.
Lip-ties and tongue-ties are typically found in infants, and the resulting problems can follow them into childhood and adolescence. Fixing these issues immediately will avoid later dental health issues and give your infant a better life.
If you find that your baby has issues with breastfeeding, they may have a lip-tie or tongue-tie. Pediatric dental care is generally more important after your baby has a few teeth, but diagnosis of lip-ties and tongue-ties can be found and taken care of earlier, even before they have teeth.
If you are in the North Richland Hills, TX area or surrounding cities, contact a pediatric dentist at Smile Houzz Dental for lip tie and tongue tie services.
What is a Tongue-tie?
Tongue-tie is a condition present at birth that restricts the tongue’s range of motion. This happens when the lingual frenulum, the band of tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth, is thicker than normal and causes tension. Symptoms of tongue-tie include:
- Difficulty moving the tongue side to side, up, or sticking it out.
- The tongue will appear notched or have a heart shape when it is protruded.
Tongue-tie can cause many issues for an adult or infant.
Difficulties for Infants:
- Breastfeeding problems, which can cause nutritional difficulties like poor weight gain and discomfort for mom
- Passiveness (gassiness, which is uncomfortable for the baby)
- Mouth breathing, which can lead to other dental issues
- Speech problems
Difficulties for Older Children and Adults:
- Speaking
- Eating and drinking
- Breathing or sleep apnea
- Poor oral health (tongue thrush, gingivitis, gum recession, etc.)
- TMJ disfunction
What is the Treatment for a Tongue-tie?
Once a pediatric dentist or doctor has diagnosed a patient with tongue-tie, the next step is to fix the issue. The corrective oral surgery for a tongue-tie is called a frenectomy. The frenectomy procedure involves the cutting of the lingual frenum, typically by laser surgery or scalpel. It is usually a quick and painless procedure. Treatment time is a same-day procedure, and complications are rare.
Cost of a Frenectomy
The cost of the removal of tongue-ties depends on insurance, if anesthesia is needed, and the provider. The cost for an infant or adult can be anywhere from $500-$2,000.
Contact your dental insurance and our office to ensure we are in-network for more information about insurance coverage. You can contact our office at (817) 898-1400.
Recovery
The recovery after an oral frenectomy is a pretty simple process. First, infants and adults will need to keep the area clean and free of any food debris, which should be pretty easy for an infant. For adult patients, you may want to consider limiting the types of food you eat for a few days to avoid any food becoming trapped and risking infections.
Within a few short days, you should notice the area healing and beginning to scar over, and you should be able to resume normal activities.
What happens if a Tongue-tie is Left Untreated?
Untreated tongue-ties can cause many long-term effects. The lingual frenum plays a vital role in facial development. If it is left untreated, it will not only affect your baby’s growth and development but can also cause the following:
Crooked Teeth: The tongue helps form the arch shapes of the mouth. When the tongue cannot move in the ways it needs, it can cause issues in the arch shapes of the child’s mouth. This can lead to misaligned teeth, and the child may need costly orthodontic treatment later.
Oral Health Issues: Tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease can also become a problem when the tongue does not move properly. Damaged teeth and gums will most likely have to be fixed with restorative dentistry treatments.
Breathing and Hearing: The tongue-tie can block airways which will affect swallowing. Swallowing is an important function to rid mucus build-up. Mucus build-up can lead to ear infections, which can be painful for children. Sleep apnea is also a common problem later on in older children and adults.
Appearance: Besides causing crooked teeth, it can also lead to flattened cheekbones and a retruded jaw which can cause self-esteem issues.
Chewing and Speech: Problems with jaw joints are common and make it harder to eat, and can cause TMJ dysfunction. Speech problems such as lisping are also common.
THE TAKE-AWAY
Lip-tie and tongue-tie release surgery can help infants and children have better life quality. Our team at Smile Houzz will provide the highest quality dental care for your oral surgery needs and promise to provide a high-quality patient experience for those who have tongue-ties. For more information, give us a call at 871-898-1400 today!
