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Adult Lip & Tongue-Ties – Chicago, IL
Set Your Mouth Free with a Laser Frenectomy
Although lip and tongue-ties are often associated with infants or young children, they can impact adults as well. In fact, sometimes a minor tongue-tie issue that goes ignored during childhood can develop into a major problem into adulthood. If you think you may have an adult lip or tongue-tie, we can provide a laser frenectomy in South Loop. Just give our office a call or request an appointment, and we can help you regain function and have a better quality of life!
How an Adult Tongue-Tie Can Affect Speech
When it comes to speech impediments, there are many reasons why it can be difficult for an adult to articulate certain sounds. However, when the lip or tongue is tethered and restricted, it doesn’t allow the mouth to form hard Rs, which can be particularly challenging for adults with a tongue-tie, as well as other sounds. In some cases, an untreated tongue-tie can also lead to developing a lisp. Not only can a tongue-tie-caused speech impediment make communication difficult and frustrating, but it can also cause embarrassment for adults.
How an Adult Tongue-Tie Can Affect Eating and Swallowing
Even if you didn’t necessarily struggle as an infant to breast or bottle-feed, you can still have a lip or tongue-tie as an adult. In many cases, adults with this problem have trouble chewing and experience jaw pain, shoulder and neck pain, or headaches. Having an immobile tongue also increases your chances of suffering from a significant gag reflex, especially with certain food textures, as well as issues with using a straw and swallowing in general.
Benefits of Laser Frenectomy Treatment
Traditionally, lip and tongue-ties are addressed with a surgical procedure called a frenectomy. Using a sharp scalpel, the excess tissue is severed and sutures are provided as needed. On the other hand, we take advantage of cutting-edge laser technology, which makes the entire process much more comfortable and faster. The high beam of light gently removes the restrictive tissue and causes very little pain or bleeding. In fact, we often don’t need any local anesthesia at all! With this laser, we can speed up recovery time and free the lip or tongue, enabling function almost instantly—although you may require additional therapy to relearn how to use your newly freed tongue.