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Including Medicaid and Medicare. Get quality pediatric care for every family member.
Including Medicaid and Medicare. Get quality pediatric care for every family member.
Noticing that your baby struggles to latch, or that your toddler has a noticeable gap between their front teeth, can leave you with more questions than answers. A tight band of tissue under the tongue or behind the upper lip, known as a tongue tie or lip tie, is one of the more common reasons kids in Centennial Hills end up in a pediatric dentist’s chair earlier than expected.
We evaluate and treat tongue and lip ties at All Star Kidz Pediatrics, and we want parents to feel informed about what this condition is, how we assess it, and what release treatment actually involves. A tongue tie, also called ankyloglossia, happens when the lingual frenulum, the strip of tissue connecting the tongue to the floor of the mouth, is shorter or tighter than usual. A lip tie is similar but involves the tissue connecting the upper lip to the gums. Both are present from birth, and both can range from mild to severe. Not every tie needs treatment, which is why we look closely at how the tissue is affecting your child’s ability to eat, speak, or keep their teeth clean before recommending anything.
Parents often notice something is off long before a diagnosis is made. In infants, this can look like difficulty latching during breastfeeding, clicking sounds while feeding, poor weight gain, or a baby who seems endlessly fussy at feeding time. In older kids, a tongue or lip tie can show up as trouble pronouncing certain sounds, a gap between the two front teeth, difficulty sticking out the tongue past the lower lip, or food getting stuck along the gumline more often than seems normal.
We also watch for signs during routine visits, even if a parent has not raised any concerns. Sometimes a tie that was manageable in infancy starts causing more noticeable issues as a child grows, gets more teeth, and starts talking more.
Every evaluation starts with a hands-on exam. We look at how far the tongue can move, whether it can reach the roof of the mouth, and how the frenulum attaches. For lip ties, we check how the upper lip moves and whether the attachment is pulling on the gum tissue between the front teeth. We ask questions about feeding history, speech development, and any dental spacing concerns you have noticed at home.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has published a clinical report on how ankyloglossia is identified and how it can affect breastfeeding in infants. It’s a helpful reminder that this is a fairly common finding rather than something rare, and that a proper evaluation matters more than just a quick glance.
When a release is recommended, the goal is to loosen or remove the restrictive tissue so the tongue or lip can move more freely. The procedure itself is typically quick, and for many younger patients, it can be completed with minimal discomfort. We guide you through exactly what to expect beforehand, including any aftercare stretches or exercises that help the tissue heal properly and reduce the chance of reattachment.
We know that any procedure involving your child, even a short one, is a big decision. Our approach centers on those special needs pediatric dentistry principles we apply across the practice where we go at the child’s pace, explain each step in age-appropriate language, and keep the visit as low-stress as possible. For kids who need a little extra support to feel comfortable, we also offer nitrous oxide to help them relax during treatment.
After a release, most kids bounce back quickly. Infants often go right back to feeding, sometimes with improved latch within the first day or two. Older children may have mild soreness for a short stretch, similar to a small cut inside the mouth. We give you specific stretching exercises to do at home during the healing period, since keeping the area moving is what helps prevent the tissue from reattaching as it heals.
If your child already has a full exam scheduled, or if this is something new you want us to check during their next cleaning, our team can fold a tongue and lip tie assessment right into a regular visit. We also see kids specifically for this concern even if they are not yet an established patient at our office.
Dr. Christopher Lamb has spent his career in Las Vegas since completing dental school at UNLV in 2009, followed by a two-year pediatric dentistry residency at the same university. As a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, he has built a practice around the simple idea that kids should actually feel comfortable coming to the dentist, whether that visit is a routine cleaning or something a bit more specialized, like a frenulum evaluation.
If you suspect your baby or child may have a tongue or lip tie, do not wait for it to become a bigger issue. Reach out through our contact form to schedule an evaluation, and the All Star Kidz Pediatrics team will cover the next steps based on what we find during your child’s exam.
Welcome! We’re looking forward to meeting and getting to know you and your child at their first “Happy Visit!”.
