A Tied Tongue Isn’t Always a Reason for Surgery

A tongue-tie, known clinically as ankyloglossia, happens when the strip of tissue under the tongue restricts how far it moves. Dr. Philippe Chanavaz evaluates the condition regularly at JuniorDental, and one of the first things he tells parents is that a visible tie does not automatically call for a procedure. Feeding, speech, and comfort history matter more than appearance alone.

Does Every Tied Tongue Affect Feeding or Speech?

Most babies with some degree of tongue restriction feed and grow without any trouble at all, and pediatric guidelines note that breastfeeding difficulties usually trace back to causes other than a tongue-tie.

A tie becomes worth a closer look when it limits the tongue’s movement enough to interfere with a deep latch, causes pain during nursing, or shows up later as trouble with certain speech sounds that need the tongue tip to reach the roof of the mouth. Dr. Chanavaz checks function first, since a tongue that looks tied on exam may still move well enough to do everything it needs to.

A lip-tie, a tighter band of tissue behind the upper lip, gets evaluated the same way. Some children have one without the other, and neither calls for treatment on sight alone.

How Does Dr. Chanavaz Decide When Treatment Is Needed?

A frenectomy earns a recommendation only after Dr. Chanavaz has ruled out other explanations for whatever difficulty brought the family in.

Feeding trouble in a newborn may come from positioning, an oversupply or undersupply of milk, or a shallow latch unrelated to tongue movement, so Dr. Chanavaz frequently coordinates with a lactation consultant before recommending surgery. A speech concern in an older child gets the same treatment, frequently alongside input from a speech-language pathologist who may confirm whether the tongue’s range of motion is the limiting factor.

Parents rarely need to arrive with a formal referral. A pediatrician, pediatric dentist, or lactation consultant may flag the concern first, though a family may also request an evaluation directly.

What Happens During a Frenectomy?

The procedure itself is brief, and most infants tolerate it well.

Dr. Chanavaz releases the restrictive band of tissue with a scalpel or a soft-tissue laser, depending on the child’s age and the location of the tie. For a young infant, the release takes a matter of minutes and many babies return to nursing shortly afterward. For an older child with a thicker or more established band of tissue, the appointment may run slightly longer and involve local numbing beforehand.

Bleeding is usually minimal, since the tissue involved has a limited blood supply.

What Does Recovery Look Like Afterward?

Recovery for a young infant is generally short, with most families back to a normal feeding routine within a day.

An older child may need a few days of gentle tongue-stretching exercises, shown by Dr. Chanavaz’s team, to keep the healing tissue from reattaching as it closes. Mild discomfort with eating certain foods for a few days is common and usually manageable with the same comfort measures used after any small dental procedure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a tongue-tie always need treatment? No. A visible tie alone does not call for surgery. Dr. Chanavaz evaluates feeding, speech, and comfort before recommending a frenectomy, and many children with a mild tie need no treatment at all.

At what age is a frenectomy usually performed? It depends on why the concern came up. Infants are frequently evaluated in the first weeks of life if feeding is a concern, while Dr. Chanavaz may address a tie discovered later once it starts affecting speech sounds or, in some cases, alongside orthodontic care.

Is the procedure painful for a baby? Most infants show a brief reaction and settle quickly, and many nurse again within minutes of the release. Dr. Chanavaz talks families through what to expect beforehand so nothing feels unfamiliar in the moment.

Does a lip-tie affect a child’s teeth later on? A tight lip frenulum is sometimes raised in connection with a gap between the front teeth or irritation near the gumline, though the evidence behind that link is still developing. Dr. Chanavaz treats it case by case rather than assuming a connection in every child.

Should a family wait for a referral before booking an evaluation? Not necessarily. A pediatrician or lactation consultant frequently raises the question first, but a family noticing feeding or speech difficulty may request a tongue-tie evaluation directly with Dr. Chanavaz.

At JuniorDental, Dr. Philippe Chanavaz treats a tongue-tie evaluation as a chance to look closely before recommending anything. A family walks away either with a plan or with the reassurance that no procedure is needed right now.

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