As a parent, you want to catch anything that might affect your child’s health and development early. Tongue tie and lip tie are two conditions that often go unnoticed—yet they can have a real impact on how a baby feeds, how a toddler speaks, and how a child grows.
If you have concerns about your little one, finding a pediatric tongue and lip tie near you is a great first step toward getting clear answers and the right support.
What Are Tongue Tie and Lip Tie?
These two conditions are related—but they affect different parts of the mouth.
- Tongue tie — known medically as ankyloglossia — occurs when the lingual frenulum, the small band of tissue connecting the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth, is too short or too tight. This limits how freely the tongue can move.
- Lip tie occurs when the labial frenulum—the tissue connecting the upper lip to the gum above the front teeth—is too thick or tight. This restricts how far the upper lip can flare outward.
Both conditions can occur on their own or together. Severity ranges from very mild to quite significant—and the impact on a child depends largely on how much the restriction affects their daily function.
A trusted children’s dentist in South Miami can assess both conditions thoroughly and explain what they mean for your specific child.
What Causes Tongue and Lip Tie?
Understanding the pediatric tongue and lip tie causes helps parents see that these conditions are not caused by anything they did or did not do during pregnancy.
Tongue and lip ties are
- Congenital — meaning they are present from birth
- Genetic—they tend to run in families, so a parent or sibling may have had the same condition
- Developmental — they occur when the frenulum tissue does not thin out naturally during fetal development as it normally should
There is no known way to prevent them. They simply occur in some children more than others.
Signs and Symptoms to Watch For
The signs of tongue and lip tie vary depending on the child’s age.
In newborns and infants:
- Trouble with the breast or bottle nipple
- Clicking or smacking noises while feeding
- Coming off the nipple often
- Not gaining enough weight even with many feedings
- Excessive gas or colic due to gulping air
- Breastfeeding mothers experience pain and damaged nipples
In toddlers and older children:
- Unclear speech or difficulty with specific sounds
- Difficulty licking lips or moving food around the mouth
- A gap is forming between the two upper front teeth due to a lip tie
- Inability to lift tongue to roof of mouth
- Difficulty keeping teeth clean in the upper front region of the mouth
If any of these seem familiar to you, see a pediatric dentist near Sunset who treats these concerns for a comprehensive yet kind exam.
How Are Tongue and Lip Ties Treated?
The most common and effective treatment is a procedure called a “frenectomy”—also referred to as a “frenotomy.” It involves releasing the tight or thick tissue to restore normal movement.
Current frenectomy techniques are safe and relatively rapid. They can be carried out on children of all ages.
Many practices now use a soft tissue laser, which:
- Reduces bleeding significantly
- Minimizes discomfort during and after the procedure
- Promotes faster healing
- Requires no general anesthesia in most cases
For infants, the procedure often produces immediate improvement in feeding — sometimes within the very first feed after treatment.
After the frenectomy, children of greater age are guided through exercises in order to train their tongue or lip to acquire the necessary range of motion that was missing prior to surgery. Children may be referred for speech therapy following surgery.
Why Early Treatment Matters
Addressing tongue and lip tie early gives children the best possible start.
The benefits of early treatment include:
- Improved breastfeeding success for infants and mothers
- Better speech development as the child grows
- Healthier dental development — reducing the risk of crowding and gaps
- Improved oral hygiene access around the upper front teeth
- Greater confidence as the child develops communication skills
Waiting does not always make things easier. In many cases, the longer a restriction goes unaddressed, the more it affects development — and the more work is needed afterward to rebuild the skills that were limited.
Give Your Child the Best Start — Dr. Bob Pediatric Dentist Is Here to Help
Every child deserves to feed comfortably, speak clearly, and grow with confidence. If you suspect your child may have a tongue or lip tie, getting a professional assessment is the best thing you can do right now.
At Dr. Bob Pediatric Dentist, children are treated with gentle, skilled care in a warm and welcoming environment. Whether your child is a newborn with feeding challenges or an older child whose speech has been affected, the team is here to provide honest answers and compassionate treatment every step of the way.
Book your consultation with us today—because early support makes all the difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How do I know if my baby has a tongue-tie or lip-tie?
The most common signs in newborns are difficulty latching, clicking sounds during feeding, and poor weight gain—a pediatric dental professional can confirm the diagnosis with a quick, gentle assessment.
Q2: Is the frenectomy procedure painful for my child?
For infants, the procedure is very brief and causes minimal discomfort—for older children, a local anesthetic is used to ensure comfort, and most children recover quickly with only mild soreness for a day or two afterward.
Q3: Will my child need speech therapy after a frenectomy?
It depends on the child’s age and how long the restriction was present—younger children often adapt quickly after release, while older children may benefit from speech therapy to help the tongue learn new movement patterns.
Q4: Can tongue-tie or lip-tie run in families?
Yes, these conditions have a genetic component and often run in families, so if a parent or sibling had a tongue or lip tie, there is a higher likelihood of it appearing in other children in the family.
