Great dental practice for kids in Cary, NC

Frenectomies can be life-changing for babies and kids who need them. They can make everything from eating and drinking to speaking and smiling that much easier. Children who are tongue or lip-tied need to get frenectomies when they’re young because the healing process is significantly easier when they’re little. A frenectomy on an adult is doable but, like with tonsillectomies, it requires a longer healing period and can come with additional complications.

Tongue ties are more likely to cause problems with speech than lip ties.

For one to two weeks after the surgery, patients should stick to a soft food diet. Ice cream, yogurt, mashed potatoes, and apple sauce are all great post-frenectomy foods.

A frenectomy may make it easier for a child to smile.

A tongue or lip tie “revision” is another way to say frenectomy.

Lip tie and tongue tie are not the same things. Tongue ties happen when the lingual frenum is too thick or stiff, causing speech impairments or difficulty eating. Lip ties affect the labial frenum, which is the small band of flesh that connects the upper and lower gums to the lips. Frenectomies, along with proper therapy, can treat both lip ties and tongue ties.

If a tongue-tie or lip-tie is affecting your child breastfeeding, we recommend getting them into the office for a frenectomy as soon as possible. The procedure is very non-invasive and can mean the difference between your baby gaining needed weight during their first year.

As with all surgeries (even minor ones), frenectomy patients should expect some minor bleeding and swelling post-op. Because we use a tiny laser to perform the surgery, the bleeding is very minimal. For pain, we recommend using Tylenol and Advil. Within a week or two, frenectomy patients should be feeling back to normal!

Usually, insurance companies will cover sealants for children. If you want to make sure your insurance covers sealants, you can speak with our insurance specialist before your appointment.

Sealants are non-invasive and don’t require any surgery, sedation, or painkillers. Sealants are made of plastic and do not pose any harm to your child.

Placing sealants is simple, fast, and painless. Dentists use an acidic gel to slightly roughen the chewing surface of the tooth. This increases the tooth’s ability to bond to the plastic sealant. After rinsing and drying the tooth, the dentist will place the sealant and harden it using a blue light.

Children usually get their first molars at six and their second molars at twelve. If you notice that your child’s molars have erupted, schedule an appointment at our Cary office. It’s best to put sealants on early to ensure that the molars start off (and stay) healthy.

Like most other dental offices, Stanley Dentistry recommends that children get sealants soon after their molars erupt. It’s a safe, easy, and pain-free way to keep your child’s teeth healthy. In the long run, they save families a lot of money.