Tongue & Lip Tie Glossary
a. Tongue Tie (Ankyloglossia): Imagine a tiny band under your baby’s tongue that’s too tight, limiting their tongue’s movement and making feeding challenging—this is tongue tie.
b. Lip Tie: This occurs when the tissue connecting your baby’s upper lip to the gum is too thick or tight, causing difficulty with latching and oral hygiene.
c. Frenulum (Frenum): A small but mighty fold of tissue that anchors the tongue or lip, playing a crucial role in your baby’s ability to move their mouth properly.
d. Frenectomy: A simple procedure that frees the tight tissue, allowing your baby’s tongue or lip to move more freely, improving feeding and comfort.
e. Laser Frenectomy: A cutting-edge, minimally invasive treatment using a laser to gently release the frenulum, offering a quick recovery with less pain and bleeding.
f. Frenotomy: A quick snip of the tight frenulum, providing immediate relief and improved mobility for better feeding and speech.
g. Frenuloplasty: A more involved procedure that reshapes the frenulum for severe cases, ensuring optimal movement and function for your child.
h. Lactation Consultant: Your personal breastfeeding coach, specialized in overcoming tongue and lip tie challenges to help your baby latch and feed successfully.
i. Feeding Therapy: Guided sessions with experts to strengthen your baby’s mouth muscles and coordination, ensuring a smoother feeding experience.
j. Oral Motor Skills: The vital movements of the mouth, lips, tongue, and jaw that your baby needs for effective feeding and clear speech.
k. Local Anesthesia: A safe, numbing medication that keeps your baby comfortable and pain-free during a frenectomy.
l. Post-Operative Care: The essential aftercare steps to ensure your baby heals well and gains the full benefits of the procedure.
m. Reattachment: When the frenulum tries to grow back together post-procedure; with proper exercises, we can prevent this and ensure lasting results.
n. Speech Development: The journey your child embarks on to learn how to talk clearly, which can be greatly improved with a free-moving tongue or lip.
o. Latch: The magical moment when your baby attaches perfectly to the breast, ensuring effective and comfortable feeding—often improved after treating tongue or lip tie.