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Pediatric Frenectomy for Lip & Tongue Tiesin Fairview & Nashville, TN
A restrictive tongue-tie or lip-tie can make everyday oral movements more difficult for some babies and children. At Songbird Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Breanna Barnes provides careful lip and tongue-tie evaluations and pediatric frenectomy treatment for families in Fairview, Nashville, and throughout Middle Tennessee.
Our approach starts with understanding your child’s symptoms, feeding history, tongue or lip movement, and overall oral function. When treatment is appropriate, we provide precise, child-focused care designed around your child’s individual needs.
What Is a Pediatric Frenectomy?
A frenectomy is a procedure used to release a restrictive frenum or frenulum, the small band of oral tissue that connects different parts of the mouth.The tissue beneath the tongue is called the lingual frenulum. When it is unusually restrictive and limits normal tongue movement or function, the condition is known as tongue-tie, or ankyloglossia.
Some children may also have a restrictive attachment between the upper lip and gum, commonly referred to as a lip-tie.Not every visible or tight frenulum requires treatment. The important question is whether the tissue is creating a meaningful functional limitation. During an evaluation, we consider tongue or lip mobility, feeding concerns, oral function, your child’s age, symptoms, and other factors before recommending a frenectomy.
For infants, signs that may lead parents to seek an evaluation include:
- Difficulty maintaining a breastfeeding latch
- Clicking or losing suction while nursing
- Difficulty transferring milk effectively
- Long or frequent feeding sessions
- Feeding frustration
- Maternal discomfort during breastfeeding
- Limited tongue movement
- Difficulty lifting or extending the tongue
- A heart-shaped or notched appearance of the tongue in some cases
Because breastfeeding and feeding difficulties can have several causes, a comprehensive evaluation is an important first step.
Why Choose Us for Lip & Tongue-Tie Treatment?
Choosing a provider for your child’s frenectomy involves more than finding someone who can perform the procedure. It requires understanding pediatric oral anatomy, growth, development, feeding concerns, behavior, and the function of the tongue and surrounding tissues.
Board-Certified Pediatric Expertise
Dr. Breanna Barnes is a board-certified pediatric dentist with advanced experience in infant frenectomies, laser dentistry, tongue-tie treatment, and lip-tie evaluation. Her pediatric training helps her assess the entire mouth rather than focusing only on the appearance of the frenulum.
Individualized Recommendations
Every child is different. Your child’s age, feeding history, tongue mobility, symptoms, oral anatomy, and previous evaluations all help guide treatment recommendations.
Function Comes First
A short or prominent frenulum by itself does not always require treatment. We evaluate how your child’s tongue or lip actually moves and whether the restriction is affecting feeding or another aspect of oral function.
Collaborative Approach
Feeding concerns are often best evaluated from more than one perspective. Depending on your child’s needs, care may involve communication with pediatricians, lactation consultants, feeding specialists, speech-language professionals, or other healthcare providers.
Pediatric-Focused Care
Infants and children require a different approach from adults. Our team provides gentle care in an environment designed specifically for young patients and their families.
Convenient Middle Tennessee Care
Families looking for a frenectomy dentist near Nashville, Fairview, or Middle Tennessee can access specialized pediatric lip and tongue-tie care without traveling far from home.
Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist in Fairview, TN
Meet Dr. Breanna Barnes
Dr. Breanna Barnes is the founder of Songbird Pediatric Dentistry and a board-certified pediatric dentist with advanced training in children’s dental care, infant frenectomies, laser dentistry, and the evaluation and treatment of lip and tongue ties.
As both a pediatric dental specialist and a mother, Dr. Barnes understands how stressful feeding concerns can be for families. Her approach is centered on careful diagnosis, clear communication, and determining whether a restriction is actually affecting your child’s function before recommending treatment.
Dr. Barnes works with infants, toddlers, children, teens, and children with special healthcare needs. Her goal is to help families understand what they are seeing, what may be contributing to their child’s symptoms, and what treatment options are appropriate.
Lip & Tongue-Tie Services for Infants and Children
Tongue-Tie Evaluation
A tongue-tie evaluation looks at much more than how the frenulum appears. We examine the lingual frenulum, tongue mobility, tongue elevation, extension, oral anatomy, feeding history, and functional symptoms to determine whether ankyloglossia may be affecting your child.
Infant Tongue-Tie Treatment
For infants with a restrictive lingual frenulum and persistent functional feeding concerns, a frenectomy or frenotomy may be considered when clinically appropriate. The goal is to release restrictive tissue so the tongue can move more freely.
Lip-Tie Evaluation
The upper lip is naturally connected to the gums by a maxillary labial frenulum. Because these attachments vary widely among children, we evaluate function and symptoms rather than diagnosing a lip-tie based only on appearance.
Pediatric Laser Frenectomy
When appropriate for the individual patient, laser technology can provide a precise method for releasing restrictive oral tissue. Dr. Barnes' experience with pediatric laser dentistry allows treatment to be planned around the anatomy and needs of each child.
Feeding-Related Frenulum Evaluation
Babies experiencing latch difficulties, poor suction, trouble maintaining a seal, or concerns with milk transfer may benefit from a comprehensive assessment to determine whether the lingual frenulum is contributing to the problem or whether another factor may be involved.
Benefits of Treating a Functional Tongue-Tie
When a restrictive lingual frenulum is clearly affecting function and a frenectomy is clinically appropriate, treatment may help improve the tongue’s range of movement.
Potential benefits can include:
Improved Tongue Mobility
Releasing restrictive tissue may allow the tongue to lift, extend, and move more freely.
Support for Breastfeeding
For some infants whose tongue-tie is contributing to breastfeeding difficulties, treatment may improve latch or milk transfer.
Greater Feeding Comfort
Improved tongue function may help certain infants use their tongue more effectively during feeding.
Better Oral Function
The tongue plays an important role in feeding, swallowing, chewing, oral hygiene, and many everyday movements. Addressing a true functional restriction can support more natural tongue mobility
Relief for Nursing Parents
When an infant's restrictive tongue-tie is contributing to an ineffective or painful latch, appropriate treatment may reduce breastfeeding discomfort for the nursing parent.
Results vary from child to child, which is why careful evaluation and appropriate follow-up are essential
Comprehensive Consultation
We begin by talking with you about your concerns, your child’s feeding history, symptoms, previous evaluations, and any recommendations you have received from other providers.
Oral and Functional Evaluation
Dr. Barnes evaluates the tongue, lingual frenulum, upper lip attachment, floor of the mouth, oral tissues, tongue mobility, and overall oral function.
For infants experiencing breastfeeding difficulties, we also consider symptoms related to latch and milk transfer rather than relying solely on the appearance of the frenulum.
Personalized Treatment Recommendation
Not every tongue-tie or lip attachment requires a procedure. If the frenulum is not creating a meaningful functional limitation, monitoring or additional support may be more appropriate.
When a frenectomy is recommended, we explain why treatment may help, what the procedure involves, and what parents should expect afterward.
Precise Frenectomy Procedure
The restrictive frenulum is carefully released to improve mobility. The exact technique depends on your child’s age, anatomy, clinical needs, and treatment plan.
Feeding and Recovery Guidance
Parents receive clear instructions on feeding, comfort, oral care, healing, and signs that should prompt a call to our office.
Follow-Up Evaluation
Follow-up allows our team to monitor healing, reassess tongue or lip movement, answer questions, and determine whether additional support from another healthcare professional may be helpful.
The Process
Our Pediatric Frenectomy Treatment Process
How Does a Frenectomy Work?
A frenectomy works by releasing the restrictive band of tissue that is limiting movement.
For a tongue-tie, the procedure focuses on the lingual frenulum beneath the tongue. This tissue connects the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth. When it is restrictive enough to interfere with tongue function, carefully releasing the tissue can provide greater mobility.
For a clinically significant lip restriction, treatment involves the frenulum connecting the upper lip to the gum tissue. The procedure itself is only one part of successful treatment. Proper diagnosis before treatment and appropriate follow-up afterward are equally important.
What Happens Before the Procedure?
Dr. Barnes evaluates your child’s oral anatomy and functional symptoms and discusses any feeding concerns or previous professional assessments with you.
What Happens After the Procedure?
When treatment is recommended, restrictive tissue is precisely released according to your child’s treatment plan. Our pediatric-focused approach is designed around your child’s comfort and safety.
What Happens After the Procedure?
Our team explains what you may notice during healing, how to keep your child comfortable, when feeding can resume, and when your child should return for follow-up.
Some families notice changes quickly, while others may see gradual improvement as their child adapts to a new range of tongue movement.
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Conveniently Located for Fairview, Nashville & Middle Tennessee Families
Families should not have to travel far to receive a thoughtful evaluation for tongue-tie or lip-tie concerns.
Songbird Pediatric Dentistry provides pediatric dental and frenectomy care for families in Fairview and surrounding Middle Tennessee communities. Dr. Barnes also provides specialized lip and tongue-tie care for families seeking treatment closer to Nashville.
Whether you were referred by a pediatrician, lactation consultant, feeding specialist, another dentist, or simply have concerns about your baby's feeding or tongue movement, our team can help you understand the next step.
Concerned About Your Child's Tongue or Lip Tie?
A visible frenulum does not automatically mean your child needs treatment. The first step is understanding whether the tissue is actually limiting tongue or lip function.
If your baby is struggling with breastfeeding, latch, milk transfer, tongue movement, or another oral function concern, schedule an evaluation with Dr. Breanna Barnes. We'll assess your child's anatomy and function, discuss your concerns, and provide clear recommendations based on what your child actually needs.