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Frenectomies

Release all of your little surfer's potential!

Frenectomies Promote Healthy Growth

Mom holding little girl in her arms with a healthy smile thanks to Frenectomies in Richland, WA

If your child is experiencing certain speech, eating, or orthodontic problems, we may recommend a frenectomy. The frenulum is the band of tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth and the lips to the gums. A frenectomy alters this connective tissue.

Why might your little one need a frenectomy? There are two main reasons:

  • Tongue tie –  Some children are born with a shortened frenulum beneath the tongue that restricts its movements and can cause difficulty or inability to breastfeed or produce specific sounds.

  • Lip tie – A shortened lip frenulum restricts the top and/or bottom lip to curl or move normally. This results in difficulty or the inability to breastfeed and create cosmetic issues, which can complicate orthodontic treatment.

Why We Use Lasers For Frenectomies

Lasers are a non-invasive way to solve your kiddo's problem.

Logo and photo of dashboard of Light Scalpel laser.

Fortunately, the Smile Surfer’s team can perform a quick and simple frenectomy procedure to release and alleviate the problems caused by a tongue or lip tie.

Using a Co2 laser, our pediatric dentists can safely and quickly release the shortened frenulum. Laser surgery offers many more advantages than surgery with a standard scalpel that we know every parent will appreciate:

  • Precise cutting: A laser is extremely precise, making it easy to remove only the targeted tissue.
  • Faster healing: The laser gently removes tissue, minimizing blood loss and encouraging healing.
  • Quick treatment: This innovative laser treatment takes just seconds to perform. This is a real advantage when treating infants and toddlers.

Why Choose Smile Surfers for a Frenectomy?

Because you and your children deserve the best!

When it comes to your little surfers, you want to know their healthcare is in the best hands. At Smile Surfers, we are kid experts! We understand the special needs of children. It’s important to us for them to feel safe and secure during treatment while putting their trust in us. Our team knows how to build that trust and establish a personal relationship with your child to last a lifetime.

Our pediatric dentists in Richland and Kennewick have completed specialized training that assures your child receives effective and comfortable treatment for tethered oral issues. TOTS  (Tethered Oral Tissues Specialty) training from Chrysalis Feeding offers cutting-edge education about how tethered oral tissues affect oral function from birth to maturity.  It includes:

  • Case studies
  • Demonstrations
  • Hands-on application of treatment techniques
Meet Our Doctors
TOTS training logo

We love Dr. Collette! He did such a great job on our son’s lip and tongue tie revision! I was so anxious for the procedure but he and his staff put me at ease and made it a great experience. The office is beautiful and my older son loved playing in the play place upfront. 10/10 would recommend Smile Surfers!

Victoria M. (5-Star Google Review)

I have been taking my daughter to Smile Surfers for four years. The knowledge, customer service, and ability to ease the anxiety of children is amazing. I highly recommend them for infants to older children!!!!

Shelia H (5-Star Google Review)

FAQs About Frenectomies
Get the answers below.
  • How can a tongue or lip tie affect breastfeeding?
    Shortened frenula can make it difficult for babies to nurse because a secure latch on the breast cannot be attained. For the infant, this can result in poor weight gain or sucking in and swallowing large amounts of air, which can lead to colic, reflux, or spitting up.

    An infant may try to “gum” the breast in an attempt to latch on properly. This can be extremely painful for the mother and may lead to plugged milk ducts, blistered and painful nipples, and mastitis. A lactation consultant may recognize the early signs of tongue or lip tie and can easily determine if this is something that should be addressed by a pediatric dentist. The sooner you diagnose the problem, the sooner you can talk with our doctors about options for correcting it.

  • What is recovery like after a frenectomy?

    Typically, it takes 3-7 days to heal from a laser frenectomy. The patient should rest during that time and allow the healing process to do its work. For infants, breastfeeding immediately after the procedure is fine since breast milk contains healing properties and the simple act of breastfeeding will reassure and soothe the baby. 

    Your doctor will prescribe medications for any after-surgery discomfort. Be sure to take them as directed. Also, it’s important to follow the instructions for the outlined post-procedure tissue stretches to gain the maximum benefit from your treatment.

  • Can a tongue or lip tie correct itself?
    One of the biggest misconceptions about a tongue or lip tie is that they will correct themselves. The condition will not change with time. Waiting to have a correction for the condition until later in life can involve a hospital stay and general anesthesia, as opposed to a relatively quick and painless procedure before complications develop.
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