Lip & Tongue Tie Treatment – Pleasanton, CA
Removing the Barriers to Your Child’s Oral Health
Lip and tongue ties may look minor, but they can interfere with feeding, speech, and oral growth. That’s why our experienced team at Main Street Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics of Pleasanton offers gentle and effective laser treatment. With this advanced technology and compassionate care, we can make sure your child’s smile starts strong and stays healthy for life. Read more below to see why lip and tongue-tie treatment can be necessary and learn how we can help.
Why Choose Main Street Pediatric Dentistry
& Orthodontics of Pleasanton for Lip & Tongue Tie
Treatment?
- Experienced And Friendly Pediatric Dentists
- Advanced Soft Tissue Laser Technolgy
- Flexible Dental Financing Available
How Do Lip and Tongue Ties Develop?
Lip and tongue ties, also known as tethered oral tissues (TOTs), are caused by an unusually short or tight frenulum. This is the small bit of tissue that connects your lips or tongue to your mouth. These ties are typically present at birth and occur when the frenulum doesn’t recede as it should during early development.
Some babies with lip or tongue ties show no issues, but for others, the restricted movement can cause problems with breastfeeding, bottle feeding, making them more irritable.
For moms, you may experience issues like pain while nursing, flattened, creased, or blistered nipples, and mastitis (clogged milk ducts). If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s best to have your child evaluated at our Pleasanton pediatric dental office.
Our team is trained to identify ties early and help you decide if treatment is necessary for your child’s future oral health.
Why is it Important to Treat Lip & Tongue Ties?
If left untreated, lip and tongue ties can cause several developmental challenges, especially in young children. These include:
- Difficulty latching during breastfeeding or bottle-feeding
- Poor weight gain in infants
- Speech delays or articulation issues
- Trouble with eating solid foods and digestive problems
- Increased risk of cavities due to restricted oral movement
- Breathing and airway issues
Over time, these kinds of issues can affect many aspects of your child’s day-to-day life from school and being social to their health. Early treatment with Dr. Santiago or Dr. Brandon can prevent these issues and support healthier oral and overall development.
Lip & Tongue Tie Treatment
At our Pleasanton pediatric dental office, we perform lip and tongue tie releases using a state-of-the-art soft tissue laser. This advanced technology allows us to gently remove or reshape the tight tissue that’s limiting your child’s lip or tongue movement.
The procedure, known as a laser frenectomy, is quick and virtually painless. We begin by applying a safe, topical numbing gel to keep your child comfortable. Then, using the laser, we precisely release the tied tissue. The laser cauterizes the area as it goes, so there’s usually very little bleeding and no need for stitches.
Most infants and children are able to feed more easily right away, and older children often see rapid improvement in speech and oral mobility.
Our team ensures a gentle, supportive experience from start to finish, so if your child is having a hard time with their lip or tongue ties in Pleasanton, don’t hesitate to give us a call and schedule a consultation. We’re happy to help your child find relief.