Frenectomy Care for Infants
Dr. Monica Kim
Frenectomy care isn't one-size-fits-all. Whether you're a new parent struggling with feeding, a child with speech delays, or an adult with unexplained jaw tension — we start by listening, assessing, and building a plan that's right for you.
Schedule a Frenectomy EvaluationA frenectomy is one of the most misunderstood procedures in dentistry. At Developmental Dentistry, we don't rush to release. We evaluate how the restriction is affecting function — feeding, breathing, speech, growth — and build a plan that gives the best possible long-term outcome.
A frenectomy releases a frenum — the small band of tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth (lingual frenum) or the upper lip to the gum (labial frenum). When this tissue is too short or tight, it restricts movement in ways that affect feeding, breathing, speech, and jaw development.
Not every tongue or lip tie needs to be released. The decision depends entirely on whether the restriction is functionally significant — meaning, whether it's actually causing a problem. That's why our evaluation process is thorough, and why we involve your feeding team, speech therapist, or orthodontist before making any recommendation.
We use a soft tissue laser for all releases — which means no sutures, minimal bleeding, lower infection risk, and faster healing compared to traditional scissor techniques.
The tissue connecting the tongue to the floor of the mouth. When restricted, it limits tongue lift, forward movement, and resting posture — affecting feeding, speech, swallowing, and airway function.
The tissue connecting the upper lip to the gum above the front teeth. When tight, it restricts upper lip flange during feeding and can cause a gap between front teeth and difficulty with oral hygiene.
Tongue and lip ties show up differently depending on age. Here's what we look for — and how we help.
Feeding challenges are often the first sign something isn't working. If breastfeeding is painful, exhausting, or feels like it will never click — a tongue or lip tie evaluation is worth pursuing.
As children grow, a tongue tie may show up in ways that seem unrelated — speech struggles, poor sleep, mouth breathing, or crowded teeth. Tongue ties rarely resolve on their own.
Many adults have had a tongue tie their entire lives — developing compensations like jaw tension, mouth breathing, and postural shifts without ever knowing the cause.
One of the most common reasons tongue tie releases don't produce lasting results is that the muscles weren't prepared beforehand — and weren't properly retrained afterward.
The tongue has been compensating for the restriction for months or years. Simply releasing the tissue doesn't automatically teach the tongue to move correctly. That's where myofunctional therapy comes in.
For older children and adults, we almost always recommend myofunctional therapy before a frenectomy, and continued therapy after — to ensure the new range of motion gets fully integrated into daily function.
Short, practical videos covering everything from what to expect before a release to how we grade tongue ties and what recovery looks like.
Honest answers to the questions we hear most from families and patients.
Schedule a frenectomy evaluation in Chapel Hill, NC. No referral needed — we'll assess, explain, and build a plan that's right for your family.