While tongue-ties and lip-ties are congenital conditions that a child is born with, symptoms may not be evident until they are older. While some children show signs of tongue or lip-ties in infancy when it impacts their feeding, other kids may not have noticeable issues until later in childhood. At South Carolina Tongue Tie Center, we offer minimally-invasive surgery for tongue-tie in toddlers and older children at our clinic in Charleston.

Symptoms of Tongue-Tie and Lip-Tie in Kids

Tongue and lip movement are integral to forming speech, which is why tongue-ties and lip-ties are first noticed in toddlers. Kids with tongue and lip-ties may struggle to form certain sounds, which can delay their speech and communication skills. Some of the symptoms to look for in toddlers and older children that can indicate they have a lip or tongue-tie include:

• Difficulty making certain sounds, especially for L, R, T, D, N, TH, SH and Z
• Delayed speech
• Difficulty swallowing
• Restricted tongue movement – difficult to touch tongue to roof of mouth or move side-to-side
• Trouble with licking – ice cream cones, popsicles, etc.
• Difficulty sticking out tongue
• Gap between their two front teeth

Tongue-ties and lip-ties can cause a host of issues for kids as they grow older. Speech can be affected, as well as sleep, breathing, teeth alignment and swallowing. Treatment is often the best option to prevent complications and improve mouth movement.

Minimally-Invasive Surgery for Tongue and Lip-Ties

Toddlers and older children with a tongue-tie or lip-tie can receive treatment with laser surgery. This is a quick, outpatient procedure that is performed in our office. We can numb the area to ensure there is no discomfort during the 15-20 second procedure. The dental laser quickly releases the targeted frenulum with little to no bleeding. Most kids are ready to play immediately after their procedure with no lasting side effects.

If your child has symptoms of a lip-tie or tongue-tie, a quick laser procedure could be the solution. Contact us at South Carolina Tongue Tie Center to schedule an exam and consultation to discuss minimally-invasive surgery for tongue-ties in toddlers and older children.