The tongue, upper lip, and lower lip all have a small piece of tissue known as a frenulum that prevents them from moving too far. Sometimes, a child might have a frenulum that’s too tight, leading to tongue-tie or lip-tie. These conditions can be treated with a frenectomy, but how will you know that the procedure is even necessary in the first place? Here are 5 warning signs you can look out for.
1. Your Child Has Difficulty Eating
When your child’s tongue is overly restricted by their frenulum, they may have a hard time swallowing. In particular, infants might not be able to breastfeed properly, causing them to lose weight. While this particular symptom sometimes goes away on its own over time, in many cases the issue may persist as the child grows older. As such, it’s often best to have a frenectomy performed as soon as possible.
2. Your Child Has Developed a Speech Impediment
It goes without saying that the tongue plays a central role when it comes to speaking. So if your child can’t move their tongue properly, they may have trouble speaking normally. If you’ve noticed any lisping or abnormal patterns in your little one’s speech, it might be a sign of a tongue-tie that needs to be treated with a frenectomy.
3. Your Child Breathes Through Their Mouth
An overly restrictive frenulum on the upper lip could prevent your child from closing their mouth. Consequently, this may cause them to develop a habit of mouth-breathing. This is an issue because mouth-breathing in children is associated with crooked or overcrowded teeth, facial deformities, and other problems. Having a frenectomy performed to correct your child’s lip-tie could be essential for encouraging them to breathe through their nose.
4. Your Child Has a Gap Between Their Upper Two Front Teeth
Sometimes the frenulum for the upper lip can cause a gap to form between the upper front teeth. This isn’t always a serious issue and is often considered to mainly be an aesthetic problem. That being said, a frenectomy might still be recommended in this case. The gap will typically close after the procedure has been performed.
5. Your Child Has Gum Recession
When the frenulum for the upper or lower lip is too tight, it can pull against the gums. The result is gum recession that can potentially leave the roots of your child’s teeth exposed to harmful bacteria. In this situation, having a frenectomy performed could be necessary for protecting your child’s oral health.
Do you believe that your child might need a frenectomy? Get in touch with their pediatric dentist immediately to learn what steps you need to take next to keep their still-developing smiles safe.
About the Author
Dr. Bryce Cushing originally owned a general dental office in Utah. After realizing that he most enjoyed working with child patients, he applied for a pediatric residency at the University of Florida College of Dentistry. At Surf’s Up Pediatric Dentistry in Papillion, he offers a variety of child-friendly dental services, including frenectomies for lip-tie and tongue-tie. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Cushing, visit his website or call (402) 773-7873.