Laser Treatment for Ankyloglossia (Tongue Tied)
June 1, 2011 · 2 comments
We saw a two year old boy yesterday for a laser frenectomy (treatment for kids who are tongue tied). The actual procedure took about 2 minutes to complete. In this particular situation, laser treatment was a good choice over scalpel surgery. There was no bleeding and no need for stitches immediately after treatment. Because laser treatment traditionally has very little inflammation associated with it, he will feel very little discomfort during the healing period. We would like to thank the family for coming all the way from Red Deer to see us.
In general, ankyloglossia should be treated right after birth if it affects the child's breast/ bottle feeding. Otherwise, it can be treated at age one or two in order to prevent speech problems. Kids with ankyloglossia will usually have a hard time making the "r" and "l" sounds.
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Can this laser treatment be used on adults?
Absolutely. We also perform laser frenectomies on teenagers and adults after orthodontic treatment in order to prevent orthodontic relapse. This is especially true for the frenum (ligament) that is between the two front teeth on top.