Tongue and Lip Tie Release
Freeing the tongue and lip when tight tissue restricts movement.
What it is
A frenum is a small fold of tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth (the lingual frenum) or the upper lip to the gum (the labial frenum). When a frenum is unusually short, thick, or attached too far forward, it restricts movement. This is called a tie. A tongue tie (ankyloglossia) limits how high and how far the tongue can lift. A lip tie limits how far the lip can flange outward.
Why we do it
Proper tongue posture is fundamental to airway development. The resting tongue should sit on the roof of the mouth, where it acts as a natural palatal expander, widening the upper jaw and the floor of the nasal airway during growth. A tied tongue cannot reach the palate, the palate stays narrow, the nasal floor stays high, and the airway is compromised for life. In infants, ties cause breastfeeding difficulty, poor latch, reflux, and failure to thrive. In children, ties are linked to mouth breathing, speech articulation issues, and orthodontic relapse. In adults, ties are linked to chronic neck and jaw tension, headaches, and sleep apnea.
What happens during the procedure
Performed in-office using a soft-tissue laser. The laser precisely vaporizes the restrictive tissue without bleeding and without sutures. Local anesthetic is used for older children and adults. Infants are usually swaddled and the procedure is complete in under a minute. Post-procedure stretching exercises (or, in infants, gentle wound massage by the parent) are essential to prevent reattachment as the tissue heals.
Who it’s for
Newborns with feeding difficulty traced to a restrictive frenum (best evaluated in the first weeks of life). Children with persistent mouth breathing, picky eating, or speech articulation delays. Adults with documented orofacial myofunctional disorders, chronic jaw tension, or as part of an airway-focused treatment plan. Always paired with myofunctional therapy before and after the release in patients old enough to participate, because the tongue must be retrained to use the new range of motion.
Recovery and what to expect
Mild discomfort for one to three days, well-managed with infant acetaminophen or, in older patients, ibuprofen. Full healing in 10 to 14 days. Stretching the wound site several times a day during healing is non-negotiable, because the tissue will reattach if not actively kept open.