Lip and Tongue Tie Treatment
Lip and tongue ties can cause a wide array of difficulties, especially for infants. They can interfere with breastfeeding, making it difficult and uncomfortable for the child and mother, disrupt oral development, and even create speech problems down the road. Fortunately, there is a fast and safe solution in the form of a laser frenectomy. With this kind of lip and tongue-tie treatment in Chanhassen, Dr. Mehta can quickly remove a daily struggle from you and your child’s life for decades to come.
How Do Lip and Tongue Ties Develop?
No one knows exactly why a lip or tongue tie develops, but there does seem to be a genetic component, as they have been observed running in families. During the last few weeks of gestation, the lips and tongue are supposed to separate, giving them room to move, but this doesn’t always happen. Sometimes, a small band of tissue attached to them (called a frenulum) is so short or inflexible that it restricts their range of motion. The signs of these issues—feeding problems being chief among them—usually become obvious during infancy, and they should be treated right away.
Why is it Important to Treat Lip & Tongue-Ties?
A lip and tongue tie has the potential to make daily life more difficult for a child and parent, as well as create more health complications in the future. If a baby struggles to feed, they won’t be able to receive proper nutrition and will be slow to gain weight, potentially missing important milestones.
When the teeth start to erupt, the lack of room caused by a tie can force them to come in crooked, meaning the child will require orthodontic treatment down the line. Ties can also make chewing and speaking much harder, creating digestion issues and speech impediments.
In short, a lip or tongue tie makes life harder a hundred different ways while putting a child at risk for serious health issues, so getting treatment at the earliest opportunity is always wise.
How We Treat Lip & Tongue Ties
Thankfully, the process to resolve a lip or tongue tie is fairly straightforward. All a parent has to do is schedule an appointment at Dentistry on the Ponds with Dr. Mehta, and he’ll perform an exam to determine the presence of a tie. If he sees one, the next step is fixing it.
Either at the same appointment or a few days later, he’ll use a soft tissue laser to precisely remove the restrictive tissue. Compared to the old method of using surgical scissors, this way is much faster and gentler, taking only about five minutes, plus a child basically feels nothing throughout the process. Within minutes, they should be able to feed comfortably, and Dr. Mehta will provide the parent with gentle stretches they will need to walk their child through to ensure the tissues heal correctly.
Oral Cancer Screenings
Each of our routine checkups includes an oral cancer screening. Far too often, oral cancer isn’t diagnosed early enough for a successful recovery, but we aim to catch and treat the condition in its early stages. With a detailed visual exam as well as digital imaging technology, our team can detect the initial symptoms of oral cancer, such as suspicious lumps, growths, or tissue discoloration. If we spot anything concerning, we can help you receive an official diagnosis and treatment if need be.
Curodont™
Curodont has redefined what it means to treat cavities. Once requiring extensive alteration to your existing dental structure, treating cavities now looks like a non-invasive, pain-free, and fast application of remineralizing liquid. This simple technique using advanced dental technology makes treating and protecting teeth from early signs of decay a breeze for both children and adults alike.
