Frenectomies Using Solea Laser Technology
Lakefront Family Dentistry performs frenectomies to correct lip and tongue ties in infants, children, and adults using Solea laser technology. In addition to helping solve breastfeeding and latching issues in infants, a frenectomy can also improve speech impairments and other dental issues.
What Is a Frenectomy?
In the broadest sense of the term, a frenectomy refers to a procedure that removes a frenulum, which is a small fold of tissue that prevents an organ from moving too far. Although frenulum's can occur elsewhere in the body, the term most commonly refers to a lingual frenectomy.
Tongue Ties
A lingual frenectomy is typically performed on infants with tongue ties. Tongue ties occur in approximately 5% of babies and are usually more prevalent in boys than girls. Tongue ties often occur in tandem with lip ties. Both tend to run in families.
Tongue ties happen when the lingual frenulum (the thin tissue that connects the tongue to the bottom of the mouth) is too short—thereby limiting the tongue’s ability to move. This can make it difficult to swallow or speak.
Speech Difficulties
In older children or adults, a tongue tie can lead to speech difficulties. The medical term for the condition is “ankyloglossia” but may also be referred to as “tethered oral tissue.” If a tongue tie is not addressed in infancy, the condition may result in jaw pain or an underbite. When orthodontic treatment is required for these conditions, a lingual frenectomy may be performed.
Lip Ties
Infants can also be lip tied, which happens when the labial frenulum (the tissue that attaches to the upper lip to the gums) is very tight or large. Lip ties can make it difficult to move the upper lip, which may cause breastfeeding difficulties and speech development problems.
Lip ties may also cause dental development issues (i.e., pushing the front teeth apart) and difficulties cleaning the front teeth and gums. In these cases, a maxillary frenectomy can help the upper lip move more freely.
Latching Issues While Nursing
In babies, tongue ties and lip ties can lead to nursing problems, which may result in a struggle to gain weight. Symptoms of tongue and lip ties include: inability to properly nurse, clicking noises during suckling, excessive drooling, and gumming or “chewing” the nipple when feeding.
Fortunately, Dr. Phillippe and Dr. Hauser can safely and painlessly perform baby frenectomies using the Solea Laser.
What is the Solea Laser?
The Solea Laser is a CO2 all-tissue dental laser that is used for soft tissue surgeries. The laser produces a very narrow, intense beam of light energy that—when it comes into contact with tissue—can remove or reshape the tissue. The Solea can be used on enamel, dentin, gum, and bone tissue.
The benefits of the Solea Laser are that treatments are faster, more precise, and do not require anesthesia. This means that procedures result in less bleeding, minimal swelling, no sutures, and almost no discomfort. There is also less chance of bacterial infections.
Filling Cavities to Periodontal Disease Treatment
At Lakefront Family Dentistry, Dr. Derek Hauser and Dr. Mark Phillipe use the Solea Laser for procedures ranging from filling a cavity to a gingivectomy. By using the Solea laser to focus a beam of light directly on the area to be treated, problem areas can be addressed without affecting the surrounding tissue.
Patients love the Solea Laser because treatments are shorter, less painful, and recovery times are faster. Dentists love the Solea Laser because it improves efficiency—allowing them to complete almost three times the number of cases compared to traditional treatment methods.
As a result, the Solea Laser is a win-win for patients and dentists. However, the benefits of the Solea Laser really come into play when performing a laser frenectomy on infants.
Laser Frenectomy Using Solea Laser Technology
A frenectomy dental procedure using the Solea Laser is the best option for babies and children because it is less invasive and fast—without patients experiencing bleeding or discomfort.
When considering the ideal patient for a frenectomy, a baby does not necessarily come to mind. Infants (and children) can be squirmy and unwilling to sit still long enough for a traditional frenectomy to take place, which can take up to 10 to 15 minutes.
However, using the Solea Laser, the entire frenectomy procedure can be performed in just 30 to 60 seconds. Using the Solea laser also eliminates the need for anesthesia.
The frenectomy recovery time using the Solea Laser technology is almost non-existent. In addition, risks and complications are minimal. When used on infants, laser frenectomies can correct breastfeeding and nursing problems. For older children or adults, the procedure can resolve dental and speech difficulties.
Dr. Hauser and Dr. Phillipe have been treating thousands of families, including children and seniors in the Inland Empire for over 30 years. As the most-referred dentists in Lake Elsinore, our top dentists and staff have almost 1,000 5-star reviews on all platforms. Request your dental appointment with our dentists today.
Give us a call during business hours (951) 244-9495 at our Lake Elsinore dentist office or fill out the form on our site anytime to request an appointment with our dentists to schedule a frenectomy baby procedure or periodontal disease treatment, gum disease or tooth fillings using our Solea laser.