Frenectomies

Dr. Randy Q. Ligh is San Jose’s leading doctor when it comes to tongue-tie and lip-tie treatment.

Orthodontic Patients
(408) 286-6330

Meet Lip-Tie And Tongue-Tie Expert, Dr. Randy Ligh

Dr. Ligh has been involved with infants and young children for over 25 years. He understands the entire breastfeeding continuum and the far-reaching consequences of the mother and infant bonding experience. Dr. Ligh is a Certified Community Lactation Education Counselor through the University of California in San Diego. He is Bovie Electrocautery and Soft Tissue Diode Laser trained, and has experience with scissor and scalpel protocols as well.

Read Dr. Ligh’s article about Collaborative Approach to Treating Ankyloglossia

Dr. Ligh and Dr. Fridgen San Jose, CA Pediatric Dentists

San Jose Frenectomies

Dr. Ligh and his team of specialists can determine whether your child has issues with latch/breastfeeding, speech articulation/intelligibility, feeding, intraoral growth, and development concerns.

Potential red flags for a tongue/lip tie:

Feeding:

Poor latch or falls asleep while attempting to latch
Long breastfeeding times
Baby clamps, bites, or makes clicking sounds while feeding

Other Physical Symptoms:

Excessive gas, reflux
Chronic plugged ducts/mastitis

Lips:

Unable to stick tongue out past their lips
Lip curls in during feedings or have a midline callus/blister
Dimple shaped tip of the tongue

Mother:

Mother has creased, flattened, blanched, or bleeding nipples

What is a Frenectomy?

A frenum is an attachment of muscle and there are two in the mouth. One frenum attaches the inside of the upper lip to the gums between the upper front teeth. If this frenum is attached too low down on the gums, it can force the two front teeth apart, creating a gap. Sometimes the gap will close when the permanent teeth come in, or be treated with braces.

Fix a Tongue or Lip-Tie in 4 Easy Steps

Dr. Randy Ligh and his team at Destination Smiles in San Jose, CA, want to help you and your child enjoy the experience of breastfeeding and help children speak clearly and develop properly as they grow. If you’re not sure if your child has a lip tie but are having trouble with your baby latching, then please give our office a call.

How do I know if My Child Has a Lip or Tongue-Tie?

Does your young child having trouble latching while nursing?

Does your older child have a large gap between their front teeth or are they having trouble pronouncing their words properly?

Request a Tongue or Lip Tie Consultation

Dr. Ligh, a Certified Community Lactation Education Counselor, has worked with infants and young children for over 27 years. He knows how essential a healthy mother/infant bonding experience can be and is passionate about helping facilitate a successful outcome.

Procedure and Post-Procedure

Your family’s health is our experienced team’s first priority. We treat every child with gentleness and loving care throughout the entire process. We will continue to monitor your child during the procedure and post-procedure and follow the nursing relationship for several weeks.

Schedule an Initial Exam:

At Destination Smiles, we recognize that a frenectomy diagnosis comes with a lot of questions and concerns. That’s why we work to ensure everything is clearly communicated and thorough. We’ll discuss your baby’s symptoms, your observations during breastfeeding, and any other pertinent medical information.

Our Team of Specialists

Dr. Ligh collaborates with some of the top medical professionals in pediatrics to ensure your little one receives the best care available. His experienced colleagues specialize in providing specific care for every pediatric case Dr. Ligh treats. So, don’t worry; your child is in the very best of hands.

Frequently Asked Questions
About Frenectomies

When considering a frenectomy, you may have questions. That’s why we’ve provided responses to some common questions. If you have concerns that aren’t addressed in the questions below, please contact our team. We can answer your questions and help schedule an appointment with Dr. Randy Ligh.

What Could Happen if We Don’t Have the Tie Corrected?

The simple answer is that the symptoms will continue. In babies, bottle feeding, or nursing will continue to be a difficult process. When it is time to move up to solids from liquids, there may be texture aversions and sensitivities caused by the tongue lacking stamina. Their mouth has to work harder, therefore, they do not want to eat solids.

In toddlers, we see issues arise in craniofacial development. This means that since the tongue was never able to reach the palate, the palate was never naturally widened by the tongue. This results in a long, narrow face and a high arched palate in the mouth. The bottom central incisor teeth usually are kinked inwards if there is a tongue tie. Once speech patterns begin to develop, we see issues with bi-labial words, stuttering, lisps and poor mouth posture. This can mean that when your child is at rest, the mouth is hanging open or the tongue is not positioned in the mouth properly. This also usually results in open mouth breathing during sleep, leading to seasonal allergies being aggravated. Let us know if you would like to learn more regarding this.

How Can I Prepare My Child for the Procedure?

For toddlers, this procedure can be a bit daunting. We recommend avoiding use of the words “pain, bleeding, surgery, hurt.” These words give a negative connotation and we want to create a pleasant and positive experience. There are many ways to prepare such as training with a frozen blueberry under the tongue to create the feeling of numbing. Orajel or similar can also be used. Our patients should be seen by an SLP for additional instructional training and exercises to familiarize the child with intra-oral work. Practicing intentional breathing may be of some use as well.

How Does Destination Smiles Make All Children Feel Comfortable?

We have treated many children with various special needs and have been fortunate to learn along the way. We offer weighted blankets, toys that help to calm the sensory process, as well as special lighting in our treatment rooms. Dr. Randy Ligh is very compassionate and will go to great lengths to ensure that your child has a wonderful experience. Please let us know ahead of time what accommodations that your child may require.

How Soon After Can I Nurse My Baby?

Immediately. We highly encourage this due to the antibodies in breastmilk that prevent infection. Nursing or bottle feeding after the procedure, especially in the presence of a lactation consultant, can help to restore function by ensuring that the tongue and lips are correctly positioned. This sets the stage for natural instincts to reassess and correct themselves.