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When looking for a practice to take care of a tongue-tie, there are certain criteria they should meet. For instance, check if they have a soft tissue laser. Although some practices still use the traditional method of resolving a tongue-tie, laser frenectomies are far superior!
Regardless of the type of frenectomy performed, the main goal is to sever the connective tissue that is restricting the tongue. So what makes one of these procedures so much better than the other? Essentially, they differ in how they are carried out and the results afterward. Keep reading to learn more about these methods and to learn why laser frenectomies can best help you or your child.
How a Traditional Frenectomy Is Performed
Prior to starting the actual procedure, a local anesthetic will be administered underneath the tongue and to the floor of the mouth. Once this has numbed the area, the dentist takes a surgical scalpel or scissors and cuts the frenulum. Keep in mind that depending on the severity of the incision, sutures or stitches may be necessary.
Aftermath of a Traditional Frenectomy
Just as it takes time for a cut to heal, the tissue will require some time to heal following a traditional frenectomy. Discomfort can usually be managed with over-the-counter pain medication. The patient will need to return to the dentist’s office after a while to make sure the area is healing properly and possibly to remove the sutures.
How a Laser Frenectomy Is Performed
When a frenectomy is done with a soft tissue laser, the process usually goes much faster than the traditional method. In many cases, local anesthetic isn’t needed at all. The concentrated laser allows the dentist to be extremely precise and only affect the tissue that needs to be removed. The laser also simultaneously cuts and cauterizes the tissue, which means that bleeding and pain are kept to a minimum. As a result, the patient doesn’t have to worry about sutures.
Aftermath of a Laser Frenectomy
In addition to being relatively gentle on the patient, a laser frenectomy involves a quicker recovery period. In fact, most patients notice immediate improvement in their tongue’s mobility and function. Because the procedure itself minimizes bleeding and pain, the patient can return to normal activities immediately with very few aftercare instructions.
In the past, when traditional frenectomies were the only option to treat tongue-ties, it got the job done. Although this accomplish the same end goal, laser frenectomies are simply better in basically every way—the soft tissue laser works faster, is gentler on the tissue, and entails a shorter recovery. That’s why it’s important to choose a practice that uses a soft tissue laser to resolve tongue-ties.
About the Practice
Chicago Tongue-Tie Center is proud to take advantage of the field’s most innovative technology with a soft tissue laser. We make every effort to keep our patients comfortable throughout the entire process. With years of advanced training and clinical experience, Dr. Justin and Dr. Bindi can treat patients of any age, including newborns all the way through adults. If you think you might have a tongue-tie that needs to be removed, call our Chicago office at 312-248-2455 and schedule a consultation or visit our Contact Us page.