At New Jersey Tongue-Tie Center, we specialize in diagnosing and treating tethered oral tissues, including tongue-tie and lip-tie, in patients of all ages. If your son or daughter is having issues with tethered oral tissue or they are showing any of the highlighted symptoms, we encourage you to contact the offices of New Jersey Tongue-Tie Center. Based in Montvale and Hoboken, NJ, our pediatric dentist, Dr. Tommy Lee has the certifications and technologies to perform a safe and effective laser frenectomy procedure.
What is Tethered Oral Tissue?
Tethered oral tissue refers to a condition where the tongue, lip, or cheeks are restricted in their movement due to a thick or tight band of tissue. TOTs can cause a range of symptoms and can affect a person’s ability to eat, feed, speak, and swallow properly. Some varieties of TOTs include lip ties, tongue ties, and cheek ties, and each of these conditions can negatively impact a person’s facial development, breathing, sleeping, and language development.
Signs and Symptoms of TOTs:
The symptoms of tethered oral tissue can vary depending on the severity of the condition. However, babies, children, and adults will experience a variety of symptoms based on the condition they face.
Babies (Newborn to Young Toddlers):
- Poor or shallow latch on the bottle or breast
- Slow or poor weight gain
- (sometimes diagnosed as failure-to-thrive)
- Reflux symptoms or frequent spitting up
- Excessive gas due to poor seal causes the swallowing of pockets of air
- Milk leaking from the corner of the mouth during feeding (soaking through multiple bibs for one feeding)
- Inability to hold a pacifier
- Clicking or smacking noises when nursing or feeding
- Fussiness
- Prolonged feeding time (>30 minutes per feeding)
- Short sleeping and frequent feeding
- Frequent gagging or choking during feeding
Children (Preschoolers to Teenagers):
- Speech difficulties, including slurring words and mispronunciation
- Problems with simple mouth movements
- Breathing problems, such as childhood sleep apnea
- Difficulties swallowing, including certain foods
- Frequent Cavities, Gum Inflammation, and Bad Breath
Mothers Should be Aware of the Following:
- Painful nursing
- Bleeding or cracked nipples
- Poor breast drainage
- Nipple distortion (flattened or lipstick shaped)
- Plugged ducts or mastitis
- Inability to nurse without using a nipple shield
- Exhaustion from the prolonged breastfeeding time
Our Treatment Options For Tethered Oral Tissues
At New Jersey Tongue-Tie Center, we use the state of the art technology such as the CO2 laser for tethered oral tissue treatment. CO2 laser frenectomy is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat tethered oral tissues patients of all ages. There are several benefits to this type of procedure, including:
Minimally Invasive
As a minimally invasive procedure, frenectomy treatment takes usually only 15-20 seconds and child does not need to be put to sleep. It requires usually no stitches and results in less post-operative pain, bleeding, and swelling than traditional surgical methods.
High Precision
CO2 lasers are highly precise, which allows for the targeted removal of only the restrictive tissue while minimizing damage.
Reduced Risk of Infection
These lasers cauterize the tissue as it releases, reducing the risk of bleeding and infection.
Faster Healing
CO2 laser frenectomy produces faster healing times than traditional surgical methods, helping children experience less pain and swelling and allowing for a quicker recovery.
Improved Function
CO2 laser frenectomy can improve the outlook of your child’s health, as tongue-tie and lip-tie can affect a person’s ability to eat, feed, speak, and swallow properly, improving oral health and quality of life.
Improved Breastfeeding
Infants with tongue-tie or lip-tie may have difficulty breastfeeding, but getting them a CO2 laser frenectomy improves breastfeeding by allowing them to have a better latch and milk transfer.
Overall, CO2 laser frenectomy is a safe and effective procedure with several benefits for patients of all ages.
If your child is experiencing symptoms of tongue-tie or lip-tie, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with us to determine if CO2 laser frenectomy is right for you.
Contact Our Hoboken or Montvale, NJ Clinics For a For TOT Treatment!
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you would like to schedule a consultation for tethered oral tissue treatment at New Jersey Tongue-Tie Center! Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will happily answer any questions and help you on your journey to better oral health.
