Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley CA
Tongue-tied – it’s a common phrase used to describe such moments when words escape us, either due to excitement or distraction. In its more serious connotation, being tongue-tied is more than just an expression that’s commonly used to refer to people who have trouble speaking clearly. This health condition displays symptoms that could potentially affect the face and the ability to breathe effectively. Today on the blog, our Scotts Valley dentists who offer tongue-tie treatments at Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry explain what tongue-ties are, how you can identify them, and why intervention is crucial.
Tongue-Tie Characteristics
What on earth is a tongue-tie? Essentially, a tongue tie is when the lingual frenulum, the flap of tissue connecting the base of the tongue to the floor of the mouth, is too short limiting the tongue’s movement. In extreme cases, this could be evident when patients can’t raise their tongues to touch the roof of their mouth. In contrast, the less severe manifestations aren’t easily noticeable, so early diagnosis becomes important, especially when a child is still an infant.
Tongue-Tie Signs
Some of the symptoms to look out for are frequent breastfeeding or bottle feeding, continued irritability, poor weight gain, and engorged breasts in nursing mothers. These may suggest that your baby isn’t attaching correctly to the breast which may be due to a tongue tie. If you observe any of these signs, consult with the Scotts Valley area dentists who offer tongue-tie treatments. If not addressed, tongue-tie has the potential to cause numerous difficulties that range from airway complications to growth impairment, and misaligned teeth. These problems can also affect a person’s ability to pronounce words correctly, causing a lisp or speech impediment.
Tongue-Tie Treatments
Tongue-tie treatment isn’t as complicated as you may think. At Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry, patients can benefit from the gentle treatment with a dental laser that vaporizes the tongue’s frenum, releasing the tongue from the restricting tissue. In pediatric patients, the procedure that we are using is fast and relatively comfortable since infants are normally willing to feed soon after the procedure. In some cases, a regimen of myofunctional therapy is necessary to retrain the tongue on how to move and rest properly to encourage proper oral rest posture and tongue patterns when swallowing.
Adults who have a tongue-tie may have adapted to their limitations, but correcting the problem can improve their oral health. Evaluations for tongue tie treatments near Scotts Valley patients include gentle stretching or myofunctional therapy as part of tongue-tie remedies aimed at helping the tongue perform its tasks. Tongue-tie can cause Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders, which are face, lips, jaw, or mouth muscle disorders that impact growth, development, and function.
Tongue-tie Treatments in Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz, and Los Gatos
When it comes to tongue-ties however, timing is the key. Early detection and treatment during adolescence minimizes long-term effects. But if you didn’t notice the problem before and are now faced with tongue-tie in adulthood, it’s possible to solve the problem. Ebrahimian Integrative Dentistry is here to support and help you. Contact us at (831) 438-4411 for an appointment to evaluate or learn more about tongue-tie treatments in Scotts Valley.