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Who Performs a Tongue Release?

A lactation consultant examines a newborn and suggests cutting the baby's tongue tie to ease breastfeeding. This quick procedure, called a frenotomy, involves snipping the tight band of tissue connecting the tongue to the bottom of the mouth.

Ankyloglossia (tongue-tie) is common and can cause problems for infants during feeding. If the baby has difficulty latching and transferring milk, it can lead to weight loss, anemia and other health issues. A frenectomy can help improve breastfeeding and speech development for children, as well as reduce oral health issues in adulthood.

However, if an underlying condition is impacting a child's ability to feed or speak, it should be evaluated before considering a tongue-tie release. A comprehensive feeding evaluation with a multidisciplinary team is often needed to make sure that the tongue-tie is not the only problem.

Ideally, the person performing the frenectomy should have an appropriate scholarly background in order to understand the implications of the surgery. Depending on the scope of practice, this could include a pediatrician, dentist, or otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor). It is also important for practitioners to be trained in one of the frenectomy tools that are available — scissors or lasers.

If a tongue-tie release is necessary, the practitioner should perform it with precision and care. A poorly performed frenectomy can result in permanent symptoms, so it's vital that the provider is up to date on best practices. In addition, the person performing the procedure should have experience with infants and breastfeeding.

Immediately following the surgery, a lactation consultant or experienced dentist at Gateshead Dental should assess a baby's mouth and breastfeeding to determine if the tongue-tie is causing problems. A tongue-tie is usually evident when the tongue cannot extend past the lips or appears notched or heart-shaped, and it can cause pain during nursing or poor milk transfer.

For adults who have a tongue-tie, we often recommend working with a myofunctional therapist to help prepare them for a release and address any underlying oral reflexes or dysfunction that might be contributing to the symptoms. This can be done in person or via teletherapy, and helps the individual to get their tongue and lip muscles ready for the freedom of a looser frenulum. Without myofunctional therapy, it is like having knee surgery and never doing physical therapy — the recovery will not be as successful.

Gateshead Dental https://gatesheaddental.com/ 184 Hwy 8, Stoney Creek, ON L8G 1C3 Telephone: 905-664-5555 Email: info@gatesheaddental.com