How We Work With Local Professionals on Lip and Tongue Tie Care
Worried about a tongue tie?
If you are a new parent, there are a million and one things on your mind. Are they growing fast enough? Too fast? When is a onesie considered too big? How long will it be before I can sleep through the night again? Are they eating enough? And if you are nursing, why does it still hurt?
Though a squishy newborn might not have teeth, sometimes they still need some help from a pediatric dentist. If your child is dealing with a tongue or lip tie (or both), it can drastically impact their feeding, their future speech, and overall oral development. In fact, if you are breastfeeding, the continued pain could very well be from an improper latch caused by the tie.
Though this might sound nerve-racking, it’s a relatively common problem among newborns, and the procedure is both quick and safe: a frenectomy.
Early treatment creates little to no downtime and a much higher success rate with breastfeeding. But nursing isn’t the only thing it’s useful for. If the tie is severe enough, it can affect how they latch to a bottle as well. Occasionally, cases can be severe enough to create severe problems with the infant’s growth.
If you’ve never dealt with a lip or tongue tie before, hearing about the procedure can be overwhelming. Technology has advanced in wonderful ways, meaning we can perform this procedure now with laser technology instead of with a scalpel. This ensures your little one can be as comfortable as possible the entire time.
A Team Approach to Care
When it comes to tongue and lip ties, the dental team isn’t the only one involved. We believe that partnering with others gives our patients the biggest chance for success. Our practice here at Spinnaker Pediatric Dentistry works hand-in-hand with local lactation consultants, speech-language pathologists, pediatricians, and orthodontists. Remember, the ultimate goal is to improve function and long-term oral health for children, and sometimes that requires a little extra help.
A tongue and lip tie can affect many different parts of a child’s life. Because of this, other specialties can be helpful. For example, if the infant is breastfed, there is a high chance that lactation consultants will be necessary to ensure a successful nursing journey.
As the child grows older, speech-language pathologists can be helpful. They work wonders at correcting speech issues before they have a chance to get out of hand.
How Referrals Work
More often than not, infants who require a frenectomy, or the reversal of a tongue or lip tie, are referred to us from other practices. Whether this be the pediatrician or the lactation consultant, this opens up a window for easy communication with the entire team. Without these referrals, a child can often go a long time before anyone notices they need any help with their tongue or lip tie.
This open communication is vital both before and after treatment to ensure success.
Benefits for the Child and Family
There are numerous benefits associated with repairing a tongue or lip tie.
One of the most common reasons for a frenectomy is breastfeeding issues. After the procedure, the infant’s latch will be both more comfortable and more effective. For many parents, this can be the ticket to a successful nursing journey.
As a child ages, there are other benefits to keep in mind. Taking care of a tongue or lip tie early supports proper speech development. It’s not uncommon for children with severe ties to have problems pronouncing certain sounds. This can sometimes delay their speech entirely.
A child’s orthodontic health is another thing that can benefit from a frenectomy. Without the constant pull of the tie, the jaw is free to form as needed. Sometimes this can help eliminate the need for extensive orthodontic treatment in the future.
Local Resources for Families
Whether this is your first child or your fourth, having a supportive community can make the experience easier. There are local resources to help you every step of the way, especially if you notice any problems that might stem from a tongue or lip tie.
For breastfeeding parents, La Leche League is ready to help you with a successful journey. The meetings are completely free and are filled with parents striving to reach their breastfeeding goals, whether through pumping or nursing. If you are looking for a marvelous breastfeeding community, be sure to stop by one of their meetings!
There are multiple places to go if your child needs a form of pediatric therapy. A center to help children overcome all sorts of obstacles, Oregon Pediatric Therapy Specialists is ready to help. They are ready to help with physical, occupational, speech, and feeding therapy.
If you are reading this as a professional seeking the right place to send your client, either of these local places is a great place to start!
Continuing Collaboration
Once you have established the connection with your own unique set of providers, do your best to keep those ongoing conversations going. These conversations can lead to preventing further issues or getting the right help whenever necessary.
Collaborating between different industries can be the trick that sets a child up for success. When everyone communicates together, the chances of something slipping through the cracks are next to none. In the case of a lip and tongue tie treatment, this collaboration will make the journey much easier for any parent.
Do you suspect that your little one might have a tongue or lip tie? Hop on over to our website to connect with us! Together, we can set your little one up for success.
