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Many parents hear the word “frenectomy” for the first time during a wellness visit or while struggling to breastfeed a newborn. A frenectomy is a minor procedure that releases a small band of tissue in the mouth, called a frenum, when it is too short or tight and is restricting how the tongue or lip moves. Caught at the right time, it can make feeding, speech, and oral hygiene noticeably easier.
At Kidz Modern Dentistry in Laguna Niguel, Dr. Lida Pishbin and Dr. Solmaz Shir evaluate and treat tongue ties and lip ties in infants, children, and teens. Every visit starts with a careful assessment, and a release is only recommended when the restriction is actually causing a problem.
Real families sharing their experiences with our pediatric dental care.
Tongue tie, known medically as ankyloglossia, happens when the lingual frenum under the tongue is shorter or tighter than normal, limiting how freely the tip of the tongue can move. According to MedlinePlus, it tends to run in families, though the exact cause is not fully understood.
Lip tie happens when the labial frenum connecting the upper lip to the gum is too tight or attaches too close to the gumline. In infants, it can make it hard to flange the lips around a breast or bottle. In older children, it can contribute to a gap between the upper front teeth and make it harder to brush the gum area thoroughly.
Not every tongue tie or lip tie needs treatment. Many children adapt well, and watchful waiting combined with feeding support is sometimes the right call. Treatment is generally considered when the restriction is causing measurable problems, such as breastfeeding difficulty that continues after lactation support, or speech that is not improving with therapy.
For families coming from Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo, or Laguna Hills, all appointments take place at the Laguna Niguel office on La Paz Road.
For many families, breastfeeding is where a tie first shows up. When the tongue cannot extend and cup around the breast, the baby gets a shallow latch and less milk, and nursing becomes painful for the mother. In older children, the signs shift toward speech, eating, and spacing between the teeth.
Signs worth bringing up with your dentist or pediatrician include:
These signs can have other causes too. Not every speech delay comes from a tongue tie, and feeding problems should be reviewed with a lactation consultant as well. The infant oral health exam includes a check for tongue and lip ties, which is often the easiest place to start.
The release can be done with sterile surgical scissors or with a soft-tissue dental laser, depending on your child’s age, the type of restriction, and how thick the tissue is. A simple release, sometimes called a frenotomy, makes a small cut to free the tissue. A full frenectomy removes a portion of it and is more common in older children or when the frenum is particularly thick.
Laser release has become a popular option because the laser seals small blood vessels as it works. That usually means very little bleeding, less discomfort, a lower risk of infection, and no stitches in most cases. The release itself often takes just a few minutes.
Young infants often need only a topical numbing gel, since the tissue has few nerve endings at that age. Toddlers and older children typically receive a topical gel or local anesthetic, and for children who have trouble staying still, sedation options can be discussed.
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There is no single ideal age. The timing depends on why the procedure is being recommended. When a tongue tie is causing breastfeeding problems that lactation support has not resolved, a release may be done in the first days or weeks of life. For toddlers and school-age children, it is usually considered when a restriction is contributing to speech or feeding difficulties, and speech therapy often continues alongside it.
Pre-teens and teens sometimes need a lip tie release when a gap between the front teeth will not close during orthodontic treatment, and the timing is coordinated with the orthodontist. At any age, the decision is best made with input from your child’s pediatrician and, when relevant, a speech-language pathologist or lactation consultant.
The visit begins with an exam of your child’s mouth and a conversation about what the dentist sees. Once you have agreed on a plan, the area is numbed and the release takes only a few minutes. For laser procedures, everyone in the room wears protective eyewear. Infants are usually offered a chance to nurse or bottle-feed right afterward, which helps calm them.
Recovery is usually brief. At home, expect to:
Manage mild soreness for a day or two with age-appropriate pain relief your provider recommends
Do gentle stretching exercises several times a day for the first few weeks so the tissue does not reattach
Offer soft foods to older children and skip very crunchy or spicy foods for a day or two
Keep brushing gently around the healing area
Come back for a follow-up visit to confirm healing
For children who are speaking, speech therapy after the procedure matters. The release makes better tongue movement possible, but the muscles still need practice to learn new patterns.
Complications are uncommon when an experienced provider performs the release. Minor bleeding right afterward is normal, but heavy or prolonged bleeding should be reported right away. Watch for unusual redness, swelling, or discharge after a day or two, which could signal infection.
The most common setback is reattachment. If the stretching exercises are skipped, scar tissue can reform and reduce the benefit, which is why following the aftercare instructions closely matters. Occasionally the first release does not fully resolve the problem, and a follow-up assessment is needed. The dentist will also review your child’s health history before using any local anesthetic.
Pediatric Dentist & Practice Owner
Board Certified Pediatric Dentist
Diplomate by American Board of
Pediatric Dentistry
Pediatric Dentist & Practice Owner
Board Certified Pediatric Dentist
Diplomate by American Board of
Pediatric Dentistry
Kidz Modern Dentistry works with most major dental insurance plans, and the team verifies your benefits before the appointment so you know what to expect. Frenectomy coverage varies by plan: when the release is medically necessary, such as for documented feeding or speech problems, medical insurance may cover it, while dental insurance may apply when the concern is dental, such as a gap between the teeth. For families without dental insurance, the KMD Total Care membership plans are available as an alternative. The plan details are listed further down this page. To ask about coverage or to schedule an evaluation, contact our Laguna Niguel office by phone or through the online booking form.
Experience total freedom in your child’s dental care. Our membership removes the barriers found in traditional insurance — no caps, no delays, and no denials. Review the benefits and exclusions to see how effortless care can be.
Common questions parents ask, answered by our pediatric dental experts.
For most children, the release itself takes only a few minutes. The entire appointment, including examination, preparation, the procedure, and post-procedure instructions, typically takes 30 to 60 minutes. Laser frenectomy procedures tend to be among the quickest because of the precision of the instrument and the absence of bleeding that needs to be managed.
Sedation needs depend on your child's age, temperament, and the complexity of the procedure. Newborns and young infants typically do not require sedation. For toddlers or young children who may have difficulty remaining still, child-friendly nitrous oxide sedation or, in some cases, oral sedation may be offered. Your pediatric dental provider will assess your child individually and discuss appropriate options with you.
Coverage for frenectomy varies widely depending on your insurance plan. When the procedure is deemed medically necessary, such as for documented breastfeeding failure or speech impairment, there is a greater likelihood of coverage under medical insurance. Dental insurance may cover it when the concern is dental in nature, such as a gap between teeth. It is advisable to contact your insurance provider and speak with the dental office team about billing and pre-authorization before the procedure.
A tongue tie treatment, or lingual frenectomy, releases the band of tissue running under the tongue. A lip tie release, or labial frenectomy, releases the tissue connecting the lip to the gum. Some children have both conditions present at the same time, and in some cases, both are addressed during the same appointment. Your provider will examine your child thoroughly and discuss which structures are involved and what the recommended approach is.
With appropriate numbing medication and a skilled, child-focused provider, most children experience minimal discomfort during the procedure. There may be mild soreness in the days following the procedure, which is manageable with age-appropriate comfort measures. Many parents are relieved to find that children are generally very quick to bounce back and often resume normal activities the same day.
Outcomes vary depending on the child's age, the degree of restriction, how consistently post-procedure exercises are performed, and whether additional therapy is pursued. If your child is not showing the improvements you hoped for, a follow-up with the provider and, if applicable, continued work with a speech therapist or lactation consultant is the recommended path. Open communication with your dental team helps ensure any adjustments to the care plan are made in a timely way.
Longer reads from our pediatric dental team, for parents who want the detail behind the visit.
What are tongue ties and lip ties? How can oral ties affect breastfeeding and bottle feeding? What signs might suggest...
Read More: Tongue-Ties, Lip Ties. Latch Problems, and Lactation Struggles: A Pediatric Dentist’s Perspective
What is tongue tie and how can it affect speech? What signs might suggest a tongue tie in a child?...
Read More: Is My Child’s Speech Problem Caused by Tongue-Tie?
What are lip tie and tongue tie and how might they affect breastfeeding? What feeding signs could suggest an oral...
Read More: Breastfeeding Challenges Explained: Lip Tie, Tongue Tie, and Modern Laser Treatment Options In Kidz Modern DentistrySlots for emergency dental visits available today. Don't let your child's dental pain wait. Call or text us now!
We serve families from Southern Orange County, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Beach, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo, San Juan Capistrano and surrounding communities with comprehensive pediatric dental care.
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