TONGUE TIES AND LIP TIES AT
SCHUMACHER & BAUER, DDS

What are Tongue Ties and Lip Ties?

Both our lips and tongues have an attachment called a frenum. If you pull your lip to your nose you will be able to feel it above your two front teeth, connecting your lip to your gums. In both cases the frenum can be too low or too thick, which causes problems with tooth decay, speech, spacing and sometimes feeding problems in infants.

Who is affected, and how do I know if I have one?

Nearly 10% of the population has a lip or tongue tie in some way. However, not all ties need to be addressed. Just because your frenum is low or thick doesn’t mean it needs to be revised. Revision is only recommended if a problem is indicated.

• Do you have problems brushing your top front teeth because your lip frenum gets in the way?
• Do you have trouble brushing the back of your lower front teeth because your tongue won’t go back?
• When you smile, does your top lip cover your upper teeth?
• Have you noticed a gap between your front two teeth?
• If you’re a mom breastfeeding, are you or your child experiencing some of these symptoms?

How do you revise a tongue tie or a lip tie?

Revising a lip tie or tongue tie is a simple procedure that is performed with a laser here in the office. The frenum is released so the lip or tongue can move more freely. Usually the process only takes a few minutes to complete, and there is very little post-operative discomfort.