Lip & Tongue Tie – Oral Frenectomy
The most common sign of tongue-tie in newborns is difficulty with breastfeeding or bottle-feeding. This occurs because effective feeding requires the baby to lift the tongue to the roof of the mouth to compress the nipple and release milk. When the tongue’s movement is restricted, the baby may struggle to form a proper seal, making it harder to extract milk and move it to the back of the mouth to trigger swallowing.
Other signs of tongue-tie may include:
- Difficulty raising the tongue to the roof of the mouth or moving it from side to side.
- Inability to extend the tongue beyond the lower lip.
- A tongue that looks notched or heart-shaped when extended.
- Difficulty pronouncing certain sounds, such as “t,” “d,” “l,” and “th”.
Tongue-Tie Treatments
Treatment isn’t always necessary for tongue-tie. While some healthcare providers recommend immediate intervention, others prefer to monitor the condition over time. Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialists often collaborate with lactation consultants and speech therapists to determine the most appropriate treatment plan for each individual.
When treatment is advised, a frenotomy is a simple and low-risk procedure commonly used to release the tongue-tie. In a clinical setting, the frenulum is cut using a laser or sterile scissors. Recovery is typically fast, with minimal discomfort and bleeding.
Although complications are rare, care must be taken during the procedure to avoid damaging the glands, ducts, and nerves under the tongue—particularly when addressing a posterior tongue-tie.
Your practitioner will first go through a series of questions and examination to assess the suitability of procedure. Please make an appointment for initial screening with Dr Hira Shehzad.
After assessing the suitability of procedure, your Doctor will book an appointment for this procedure at our clinic. Please note that currently we offer this procedure for children age less than 1 year.
Contact us today or book online for an inital consult.