Adult Tongue Tie Revision

Symptoms of tongue tie before surgery

Tongue tie symptoms in adults is presents a broader set of conditions and diseases.

Here are the symptoms:

Lack of energy and sugar craving, brain fog

Sleep apnea or bad sleeper, snoring

Chronic Neck and Back pain

Pain In Jaw Joint

Migraines

Mouth breathing and dry lips

Teeth sensitivity when drinking water

Anxiety

Lisping

Am I Tongue Tied? How to identify oral restrictions

Does any of the above sound familiar?  If you suffer any of these conditions, let’s do a simple test that may reveal a tongue tie.

• Do a finger swipe under your tongue, is there a catch? It should be a smooth transition. There should be no flap under the tongue.

• Do you have a strong gag reflex?

• Stick your tongue out, straight, now can you lift the tip without moving the rest of the tongue? The tip should move independently to the rest of the tongue.

• Open your mouth, as wide as it goes. Without moving or closing the jaw, can you reach the tip of your tongue to spot behind your upper front teeth? Your tongue should reach the spot behind your front teeth at FULL jaw opening.

• Can your tongue comfortably wipe across the outer sides of your upper and lower back teeth and reach where the gums connect with the cheeks?

• Can you move your lips side to side (lips closed) without moving the entire jaw? The lips should be able to move independently to the jaw. Lip tie restricts full lip movement.

*There are other signs on the face and body that a well trained professional can assess as well as several related issues that stem from tongue restriction. These include airway, posture, and sleep and a practitioner can assess you beyond just appearance of the tongue.

Adult Tongue Tie Surgery

Before Tongue Tie Surgery

As a trained Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist, Dr Lisa Chong and her great team at Pain Free Dentist Sydney will develop a program for you to assist in Nasal breathing, Correct tongue posture and swallowing function.

Tongue tie surgery types for adults

This treatment can be carried out without needing to have General Anesthetic and options are:

• Release of the frenum by scissors with local anaesthetic.

• Release of frenum by laser.

Tongue tie surgery complications

• Recurrence of lingual frenum can occur, especially in growing children. This may mean a revision is necessary in certain cases.

• Always consult with your practitioner regarding potential risks and complications before surgery.

What is the cost of tongue tie surgery for adults? 

Prices generally vary from depending on the level of support and lead up treatment. 

If you have a question regarding adult tongue-tie release, please call and book at (02) 9558 8988.

How to Encourage Children to brush their teeth?

Maintaining healthy teeth starts at home. Prevention is key! This is why it is important to teach children from a young age to have good oral hygiene habits. If you are struggling to encourage your child to perform oral hygiene habits than these tips may help!

1.       Fun and Entertaining YouTube Video: Showing your child some fun and entertaining YouTube videos on how to brush teeth and possibly of their favourite cartoon character brushing their teeth will surely encourage them to do so as well.

2.       Become a Good Example: Children tend to mimic what their parents do, so it is important that you show your child that you also brush your teeth 2 times a day. Perhaps, you can brush your teeth together.

3.       Education: Instead of just telling them to brush their teeth, try to also explain why brushing their teeth is important. You can refer to bacteria growing in the mouth as ‘little monsters’ that will try to eat away their tooth!

4.       Choosing a Toothbrush: Involve your child in the process of choosing a toothbrush. If they like the toothbrush they have, they will be more excited to use it daily.

5.       Monitor: Always watch over your child as they are brushing their teeth and try to correct their technique. Overtime they will become more experienced and this will lay down the foundation a life time of good oral hygiene.

We hope this helps! Good luck and if you have any more questions or are concerned about your child’s oral hygiene, call us on (02) 9558 8988 to book an appointment with one of our friendly dentists!

Tongue and Lip Tie: Frequently Asked Questions

If my child has a lip tie, what are the chances that they also have a tongue tie?

• There is a very high chance that your child may also have a tongue tie 

• This does not mean that both the tongue tie and lip tie need to be treated.

• Treatment will depend on the signs and symptoms

What is better, using a laser or scissors for tongue tie release?

•  In the hands of an experienced clinician it should not matter what method is used to release the tongue/lip tie

• Both procedures will produce excellent results if done correctly

What do you do after the tongue/lip tie procedure?

• The Dentist will inform parents about certain exercises (e.g. stretches) that they should perform on the child.

• This will prevent reattachment and promote healing. 

• They can be done while the child is awake or asleep 

• The child should also be brought in for a review appointment to assess that everything is going to plan and healing well.  

Can a tongue tie cause speech problems?

• Not everyone who has a tongue tie will have speech problems - it is usually case based. That being said, it is very common though. 

• The most affected letters are CH, TH, SH, S, L and R sounds 

• There is an improvement in speech following tongue tie release

When can I expect to see Improvements in breastfeeding?

• Typically you will see an improvement straight away following release, however it could take as long as a week to show

• We recommend that you also seek assistance from a lactation nurse after the procedure

• At Pain Free Dentist Sydney we can recommend a lactation nurse for you if you do not have one already

Are stitches necessary following a tongue or lip tie release?

• For children stitches are not necessary however for adult tongue tie release they may be needed.

• It all depends on the degree of tongue tie that will be released. You will be informed whether or not you will need stitches at your initial consultation  

We hope that this has helped answer some of your questions! If you have any other questions in regards to tongue or lip ties, please do not hesitate to call us on (02) 9558 8988.