Options for a procedure to treat tongue tie start with an evaluation by your skilled Turlock dentist

The frenulum is a piece of soft tissue stretching between the upper and lower lips and the gums. You feel these “labial frenulum” when you pass your tongue over your upper and lower teeth. You also have a frenulum underneath your tongue. The “lingual frenulum” connects the base of the tongue to the underlying tissue in the lower jaw. Ankyloglossia is the medical term for “tongue-tie,” a congenital condition characterized by an overly short, thick, or tight lingual frenulum. This tissue may “tether” the tongue to the floor of the mouth. Dr. Ramsin Davoud has considerable experience treating ankyloglossia with the tongue tie procedure at his Turlock, CA office.

Treatment

The frenulum anchors the lips, cheeks, and tongue. It supports proper jaw alignment and stabilizes oral tissues. When these functions are compromised by abnormalities such tongue-tie, a range of developmental challenges may arise:

• Speech impediments
• Inadequate nutrition, failure to thrive (due to difficulties breastfeeding)
• Gaps and uneven spacing between teeth
• Increased risk of tooth decay and gum disease (due to oral hygiene problems)
• Problems with activities such as eating certain foods (ice cream) or playing some musical instruments
• Poor jaw development
• Mouth-breathing and snoring
• Pain when swallowing

Dr. Davoud has evaluated and successfully treated children with different types of ankyloglossia. When recommending tongue-tie treatment, he accounts for the child’s oral anatomy and tongue movement. Other factors that are considered include the effect the tongue-tie is having on the child’s life and development, as well as his or her age. Some tight lingual frenulum, for instance, loosen up without treatment over time.

Frenotomy

If this approach is deemed appropriate your child, Dr. Davoud releases the lingual frenulum. No longer restricted, the treated frenulum can now move freely. The process is quick and straightforward. Few nerve endings and blood vessels are present in this tissue, which further minimizes the risk of complications such as excessive bleeding.

Frenuloplasty

Not all tongue-ties may be successfully resolved with frenotomy. Dr. Davoud may recommend a “functional frenuloplasty” to treat adults, older children, and generally patients with very thick or large lingual frenulum. He uses a technique developed by Dr. Soroush Zaghi to precisely “snip” the tongue-tie with specialized surgical tools. Sutures protect the treatment site and support healthy and rapid healing. Also, this technique minimizes the risk of scarring. Special exercises may be recommended to “retrain” the tongue following this procedure.

More details on this treatment may be found at the “frenuloplasty” page under the “services” tab on this website.

Call (209) 666-8867 to schedule an appointment at the office of Ramsin K. Davoud DDS Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in Turlock.

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