If your child struggles with breastfeeding, bottle feeding, speaking clearly, or has gaps between their front teeth, a tongue or lip tie may be the cause. These conditions affect thousands of children across Charlotte and can impact feeding, speech development, dental health and overall quality of life. You’re not alone in feeling overwhelmed when trying to understand what these terms mean and whether your child needs treatment.
At University Pediatric Dentistry in Charlotte’s University City area, Dr. Funny has been helping families navigate these concerns for over 17 years with compassionate pediatric dental services. As both a pediatric dentist and a mother herself, Dr. Funny truly gets it. She knows the worries that keep you up at night when something doesn’t seem quite right with your little one, and she’s here to guide you through the process with care and understanding that prioritizes your child’s comfort and long-term health.
What Is a Tongue Tie?
A tongue tie, medically known as ankyloglossia, happens when the band of tissue connecting the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth is too short, thick or tight. This restrictive tissue, called the lingual frenulum (or frenum), limits how freely the tongue can move and can interfere with everyday activities like nursing, eating, speaking and even brushing teeth properly. Research from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia shows that tongue ties affect nearly five percent of all newborns, though many go undiagnosed until you start noticing symptoms.
The good news is that tongue ties vary quite a bit in severity. Some children have minor restrictions that never cause any real problems, while others need a little help to improve their quality of life. You might notice your child has difficulty lifting their tongue to the roof of their mouth, can’t stick their tongue out past the lower front teeth, has a heart-shaped or notched tongue tip when extended or if you have an infant, struggles to latch properly during breastfeeding or bottle feeding.
How Tongue Ties Affect Children at Different Ages
If you’re a new parent struggling with breastfeeding or bottle feeding, you know how exhausting and emotional it can be. For newborns and infants, tongue ties often show up as nursing challenges. Your baby might have trouble maintaining a good latch, leading to inadequate milk transfer, slow weight gain, excessive gas from swallowing air and painful or damaged nipples for you. Many moms tell us they felt frustrated for weeks, not realizing a tongue tie was the culprit behind their breastfeeding difficulties.
As your child grows, an untreated tongue tie can affect their speech, especially sounds that need the tongue to touch the roof of the mouth. School-age kids might also have gaps between their lower front teeth, struggle to enjoy an ice cream cone, find it hard to play wind instruments, or feel embarrassed about how their tongue looks when they stick it out.
Understanding Lip Ties
A lip tie involves the tissue connecting the upper lip to the upper gums, called the labial frenulum (or labial frenum). When this tissue is too thick or reaches too far down the gumline, it restricts how your child’s upper lip moves and can create various challenges with feeding and dental health. While lip ties don’t get talked about as much as tongue ties, they can be just as problematic for your child’s well-being.
During breastfeeding, an upper lip tie can prevent your baby’s lip from flanging properly, making it tough to create and hold the seal needed for effective nursing. You might hear clicking sounds during feeding, notice frequent breaks to catch their breath, experience unusually long feeding sessions or see milk dribbling from the corners of their mouth.
Dental and Orthodontic Complications from Lip Ties
As your child gets older, lip ties can lead to some significant dental concerns. That tight tissue attachment often causes a noticeable gap between the upper front teeth, called a diastema. While some gaps naturally close as kids grow, those caused by lip ties often stick around and might need orthodontic help down the road if the frenulum is not addressed.
Lip ties also make it harder for your child to keep their teeth really clean. They might struggle to brush properly along the gumline where the tight tissue attaches, which can lead to plaque buildup, swollen gums, and a higher chance of cavities in those upper front teeth. Some children even develop gum recession as the tight frenulum keeps pulling on the tissue over time.
When Does Your Child Need a Frenectomy?
Here’s the thing: not every tongue tie or lip tie needs treatment. Dr. Funny takes time to carefully look at each child’s unique situation, collaborating with other providers, to figure out whether a frenectomy would truly help. The decision comes down to how severe the restriction is, what problems it’s actually causing, and how it’s affecting your child’s daily life, function and development. Here are some signs that treatment might be a good idea:
- Your baby is having real trouble breastfeeding, even after working with lactation consultants
- Your child’s speech is hard to understand because of articulation difficulties
- Your child (or you) can’t brush their teeth properly because their lip or tongue won’t move the right way
- You’re seeing gum recession or swelling related to where the frenulum attaches
If you’re noticing any of these issues, bring them up at your child’s next dental checkup so we can take a look together.
The Frenectomy Procedure Using Laser Technology
We use advanced laser dentistry with the help of our Solea CO2 laser, at University Pediatric Dentistry to perform frenectomies with incredible precision and very little discomfort. Unlike older surgical methods that need scalpels and stitches, laser frenectomies offer some wonderful advantages that make the whole experience easier for your child and lead to better healing.
The laser seals blood vessels as it gently releases the restrictive tissue, so there’s minimal bleeding during the procedure. This precision also means less discomfort afterward and usually no need for stitches. Most frenectomies are over in just a few minutes, and your child can typically get back to their normal routine the same day.
What to Expect During Your Child’s Treatment
Before we do anything, Dr. Funny walks you and your child through every step of the process so you both know exactly what’s going to happen. For infants and very young children, we might use a topical numbing gel. Older kids might get local anesthesia to make sure they’re completely comfortable. The actual tissue release happens quickly, and we’re often amazed at how well most children handle the procedure.
After the frenectomy, we’ll give you clear instructions for taking care of the area and some exercises to do at home. These gentle stretches and movements are really important for keeping the tissue from reattaching as it heals. We know the exercises might feel a bit uncomfortable at first, but they’re the key to getting the best results. Dr. Funny and our team will show you exactly how to do them, and we’re always just a phone call away if you have questions while your child is healing. Our experienced team, including individuals who have been caring for families here for over 14 years, will be with you every step of the way through the treatment process.
Schedule Your Child’s Consultation at University Pediatric Dentistry in Charlotte, NC
If you’re wondering whether your child might have a tongue tie or lip tie, we’d love to see you for a thorough evaluation at our University City office. Before we can schedule a frenectomy consultation with Dr. Funny, we require a functional assessment referral. This referral should include after-visit summary notes from a qualified provider outlining their findings and recommendation for Dr. Funny to evaluate your child for possible treatment. Accepted referrals must come from a lactation consultant, occupational therapist or speech-language pathologist. This step is important because it ensures that your family is already working with a provider who will play a key role in post-operative care. These professionals are essential in supporting your child’s feeding, speech and oral motor function after the procedure. Establishing this relationship ahead of time helps set your child up for the most successful outcome possible. Dr. Funny has been helping families with these conditions for over 8 years, and she brings both expert knowledge and genuine compassion to every appointment.
As a mom herself, Dr. Funny really understands the concerns you’re facing. She’ll take all the time you need to answer your questions and make sure you feel completely confident about the path forward for your child. Reach out to our pediatric dental practice in Charlotte today to schedule your child’s appointment and discover how frenectomy treatment can make a real difference in your child’s feeding, speech, and dental health.