Tongue-Tie & Lip-Tie Treatment for Infants

Frequently Asked Questions – Best Western Dental Centre

1. Why Was My Child’s Tongue-Tie Not Identified Earlier?

Many parents ask why their child’s tongue-tie or lip-tie was not identified earlier by their doctor or health provider.

Training in tongue-tie and lip-tie diagnosis and treatment is not routinely included in the core curriculum of many medical or dental degrees. As a result, some healthcare providers may have limited exposure to assessing tongue function in infants.

For this reason, it is often helpful for babies to be assessed by a team of health practitioners familiar with tongue-tie, including dentists with additional training, lactation consultants, and body-work professionals.

Why Best Western Dental Centre?

After graduating with his dental degree, Dr Nathan Le undertook additional training in dental laser use beginning in 2001. He later expanded his clinical focus into orthodontics and has performed frenectomies as part of orthodontic care since 2005.

Dr Le has completed formal training specific to the assessment and management of oral restrictions, including Foundation and Advanced Tongue Tie Institute courses covering infants, toddlers, children, and adults. He has also completed certified Waterlase laser training, where laser release is clinically indicated.

The Tongue Tie Institute is an Australian-based organisation providing advanced education in tongue-tie and lip-tie assessment and management.

2. What Happens If Tongue-Tie Is Not Treated in Infants?

When tongue movement is restricted, normal tongue function may be affected. Depending on the individual child and severity, this may be associated with:

In Infancy

• Breastfeeding difficulties

• Prolonged or inefficient feeding

• Colic-like symptoms or reflux in some babies

In Childhood

• Speech clarity difficulties

• Narrow jaw development

• Dental crowding related to limited jaw growth

In Adulthood

• Head and neck tension

• Snoring or sleep-disordered breathing

These concerns are multifactorial, and tongue-tie is considered one possible contributing factor, not the sole cause.

3. Is Tongue-Tie Treatment Always Necessary for Infants?

Tongue-tie treatment is not always required. However, if a tongue-tie affects normal tongue function, treatment may be considered.

Normal tongue movement plays an important role throughout life, particularly during growth. The tongue supports jaw development, swallowing, speech, and breathing. When movement is restricted, some children develop compensatory patterns over time.

For this reason, early assessment allows families to make informed decisions. Treatment, when indicated, may help reduce long-term functional compensations and the need for more complex interventions later.

4. About Laser Frenectomy

4.1 Is Laser Better Than Scissors for Tongue-Tie Surgery?

The most important factor in the success of a frenectomy is the training and experience of the clinician performing the procedure.

Dr Le has completed advanced training in tongue-tie assessment and management and has performed numerous tongue-tie and lip-tie releases for infants, children, and adults.

Compared with scissors, laser frenectomy differs in several ways:

• The laser gently ablates (vaporises) tissue rather than cutting or crushing it

• It helps seal small blood vessels, reducing bleeding

• It allows for high precision with minimal trauma to surrounding tissues

When performed by an experienced clinician, laser frenectomy may support a smoother healing process.

4.2 Are All Dental Lasers the Same?

No. Different dental lasers are designed for different clinical purposes.

For infants, the procedure should be quick, precise, and gentle, allowing the baby to return to feeding promptly. The Waterlase iPlus 2.0 (Er,Cr:YSGG laser) produces minimal heat and shallow tissue penetration, supporting wound healing.

For this reason, Best Western Dental Centre uses Waterlase technology for infant tongue-tie and lip-tie procedures.

4.3 Why Don’t All Clinics Use Laser?

Dental lasers are:

• Highly regulated

• Expensive to purchase and maintain

• Dependent on specialised training

Waterlase systems represent a significant financial investment. However, after observing the clinical benefits for infants, Dr Le chose to adopt this technology to support patient care.

5. What Happens at a Tongue-Tie Appointment for Infants?

Before the Consultation

Parents are provided with information to help prepare for the appointment. Many families have already consulted a lactation consultant or body-work practitioner.

The Consultation

A thorough consultation allows assessment of tongue function and education of parents regarding post-procedure care.

The Procedure

Laser tongue-tie and lip-tie release is quick and effective. To ensure focus and safety, parents are usually asked to remain outside the procedure room.

After the Procedure

Feeding is encouraged shortly after the procedure.

Follow-Up

• A staff member will contact you the next working day

• A free 1-week review appointment is provided to assess healing

6. Is Anaesthetic Used for Infants?

Local anaesthetic is not routinely required for infant tongue-tie or lip-tie treatment.

Immediate feeding after the procedure supports comfort, settling, and healing. Because local anaesthetic can interfere with feeding, it is often avoided.

In non-breastfed babies, the sensation of numbness and taste of anaesthetic may be more distressing than the brief laser procedure itself.

However, local anaesthetic can be used if parents request it, and this can be discussed during the consultation.

7. Will My Baby Need Pain Relief After Surgery?

For babies over one month of age, pain relief may be helpful, particularly during the first few days while stretches are being performed.

Parents are advised to:

• Give pain relief 30 minutes before the procedure

• Give pain relief before stretches, especially during the first 24 hours

• Continue pain relief for up to 5 days only if needed

Panadol Baby Drops may be used up to four times daily according to weight-based dosing. If additional pain relief is required, Nurofen for Children may be used instead if age-appropriate.

8. How Long Will the Appointment Take?

The appointment typically lasts up to one hour, including:

• Consultation

• Preparation

• The procedure (usually 1–3 minutes)

• Post-procedure feeding

Parents are encouraged to bring a thick baby wrap and a bottle if the baby is not breastfeeding.

9. Is Tongue-Tie Treatment Covered by Medicare?

Medicare does not cover dental treatments.

For private health insurance, commonly used item numbers include:

• 014 – Consultation

• 391 – Frenectomy

Coverage depends on your individual policy.

10. What Aftercare Is Provided?

We routinely provide:

• A follow-up phone call within 1–2 days

• A free 1-week review appointment to check wound healing

If further support is needed, parents are encouraged to contact the clinic. Functional progress is often best assessed by a lactation consultant, which is why we encourage collaboration both before and after treatment.

11. Are Exercises Required After Tongue-Tie Treatment?

Yes. Stretching exercises are recommended to help reduce the risk of the frenulum re-attaching during healing.

Parents are advised to:

• Gently stretch each surgical area for 3 seconds

• Perform stretches every 5 hours, including overnight

• If a stretch is close to feeding time, perform the stretch before the feed

• Continue this stretching routine for 4 weeks

Each stretch should involve gentle but firm pressure.

It is normal to see a white or diamond-shaped healing patch at the release site for up to two weeks.

12. Do I Need to Do Anything Else?

Supportive therapy can assist with healing and functional improvement. Where appropriate, we may recommend supportive care from practitioners experienced in infant feeding and bodywork, including:

Dr Reena Murray – Osteopath & Lactation Consultant
🌐 www.completelyaligned.com.au
📞 (02) 4655 5588
📍 Shop 10 / 180–186 Argyle Street, Camden

Sharon – Blissful Babies (Lactation Consultant)
📞 0400 673 881

Engaging with supportive therapies is optional and based on individual needs.

Final Notes

The time required to notice functional improvement varies between individuals. Some families notice changes quickly, while others observe gradual improvement over several weeks or months.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact:

Best Western Dental Centre
📍 95 Oxford Street, Cambridge Park NSW 2747
📞 (02) 4731 4655

Dr Nathan Le also provides tongue-tie and lip-tie treatment at Kempsey Dental Centre.