Dallas Tongue Tie Revision
Dallas newborn photographer Laura Levitan of Mod L Photography meets and interviews local businesses serving parents of young children in Dallas. Her mission is to provide families and expectant parents with great resources to help them on their parenting journey. As a parent herself, Laura understands the need for relevant and excellent resources.
What is My Kids DDs?
[Laura]: I’m here with Amanda, the marketing coordinator for My Kids DDS.
[Amanda]: My Kids DDs specializes in pediatric dentistry for children ages zero to eighteen and orthodontics for children and adults. We also see special needs clients into their adulthood depending on their specific needs. So that they have continuity of care.
Who can benefit from tongue tie revision?
[Laura:]What do babies come to see you for?
[Amanda]: For frenectomies. The frenulum is a piece of soft tissue under the tongue that connects it to the floor of the mouth. In some people it is too short. In this case they might benefit from a tongue tie revision. We use a soft tissue laser for releasing tongue and lip ties. First the parents will come in for a consultation with the baby. Then we perform the procedure and show the parents how to do the stretches to ensure the tissue doesn’t grow back, and recommend three follow up procedures.
[Laura]: Do you ever see older kids for that?
[Amanda]: We do. This procedure could be useful for any age. My Kids DDs has had a patient that was 64.
[Laura]: There are some things that you don’t know about that could affect a child later on in life. A frenectomy is really not going to affect a baby at all, but boy did it affect my eight year old. He was pretty uncomfortable for a few days.
[Amanda]: Babies won’t even remember it, but an eight year old will remember and it’s going to be more painful.
Are tongue ties more prevalent today?
[Laura]: What do you think about the frequency of these revisions?
[Amanda]: It’s becoming a more commonly accepted thing. I don’t know if it’s more prominent, or if they’re just more frequently diagnosed?
[Laura]: Maybe there is more breastfeeding too..
[Amanda]: In the eighties breastfeeding wasn’t something that many saw value in. It wasn’t something that your doctor would really push for. Nursing wasn’t embraced like it is now. A lot of moms fed with formula so tongue ties weren’t as much of an issue. Because breastfeeding has become more accepted, tongue ties are more widely recognized as an issue.
[Laura]: What are the major complaints? What’s bringing people in?
[Amanda]: Breastfeeding complications. The baby can’t latch because their tongue has to go up to do so. With a tongue tie the baby has decreased mobility and may struggle to latch properly.
What causes tongue and lip ties?
[Amanda]: We aren’t entirely sure. Genetics may play a part. There are some theories surrounding folic acid – some vitamins may have too much folic acid which could cause increased fusion of the tongue. Another question – is it more prominent? Or is it more prominently diagnosed?
[Laura]: How do the doctors determine if someone is a good candidate?
[Amanda]: My Kids DDs doctors will do the procedure if they think it’s the best thing for the patient. There are some patients that come in for a consultation and we won’t do a revision on the baby because it’s not necessary.
What is involved in a tongue tie release?
[Amanda]: The laser is an easier procedure. Recovery time is going to be easier on both the baby or the child and the parent because the wound is already cauterized. With this procedure you don’t have to do stretches, there is a lot less bleeding. You have to do stretches because it will reattach if you don’t do the stretches. The soft tissue laser is definitively the way to go for a lip tongue tie revision.
Thank you My Kids DDs and Amanda for meeting with me and giving me a tour of your amazing office! What a great resource for families in DFW!
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One Response
An interesting read and very useful information for parents.