Tongue Tie Clinic

What is tongue tie?

Ankyloglossia, or tongue tie as it is more commonly known, may become apparent soon after the baby is born. It can affect 3-10% of new born babies. The tongue tie is caused by a fibrous band of tissue, the frenulum, which tethers the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth, restricting movement. This may cause a problem with latching on or feeding.

What to Expect at our Tongue Tie Clinic Consultation

When you visit our tongue tie clinic for a consultation, our primary goal is to understand your baby’s needs and tongue function, to determine the best course of action for their well-being.

Here’s what you can expect during your consultation:

Initial Assessment

Warm Welcome: Upon arrival at Sovereign House Tongue Tie Clinic, you’ll be greeted by our friendly staff. We understand that this may be a stressful time for you and your baby, so we strive to make the process as comfortable and reassuring as possible.
Medical History Review: We’ll start by reviewing your baby’s medical history and any feeding difficulties you’ve encountered. This helps us understand the specific challenges your baby is facing.

Examination

- Physical Evaluation: Our specialist tongue tie practitioner, Mr. Kandasamy Ganesan, will conduct a thorough examination of your baby’s oral cavity. This includes assessing the frenulum’s appearance, attachment, and the degree of tongue mobility.
- Feeding Observation: If possible, a member of our infant feeding team may conduct a full breastfeeding assessment. They will observe a feeding session to assess how the tongue tie affects latching and feeding.

Discussion

Explaining Findings: After the examination, a health professional will discuss our findings with you in detail. If a tongue tie is present, we’ll explain what it means, how it’s affecting your baby, and the potential benefits of proceeding with a release.
Addressing Your Concerns: We dedicate time to answer any questions you might have. Whether you’re concerned about the procedure, aftercare, or feeding post-procedure, we’re here to provide comprehensive answers.

Tongue Tie Assessment – Decision Making

Tailored Recommendations: Based on the examination and discussion, our health professionals will provide personalised recommendations. If a tongue tie release is advised, we’ll explain what the procedure involves and what to expect.
Consent Process: Should you decide to proceed with baby’s tongue tie release, we’ll guide you through the consent form, ensuring you understand every aspect of the simple procedure and aftercare.

Our consultation aims to provide you with a clear understanding of your baby’s condition and the best way forward.

We believe in informed decision-making and are committed to providing you and your baby with ongoing support every step of the way.

The Consultant will advise you to sit face-to-face with your baby laying on your lap and their head towards the consultant

The Consultant will then use sterile scissors and with the nurse assisting, snip the frenulum. This will help to improve the movement of the tongue.

The Procedure at our Tongue Tie Clinic

If a release procedure is required, it will normally be carried out on the same day as the consultation. The release of the tongue tie is a safe and quick process, taking only a few seconds. It involves the ‘snipping’ of the fibrous band of tissue. Since it does not involve muscle, local anaesthesia is not required, and it should be less painful than a vaccination, for example.

On the day of the visit we would like to ensure that your baby feeds straight after the procedure and thus we recommend that your baby has not been fed for a couple of hours.

Feeding after the procedure helps in many ways. If the Consultant feels the tongue tie requires release, a consent form will be filled in and signed by yourselves.

After the Tongue Tie Division Procedure

Although this ‘release’ is harmless, some babies may cry for a minute or two, and there may be a few spots of blood around the area. After the ‘snip’ you will be instructed to breast/bottle feed your baby. Feeding helps with initial movements of the tongue as well as comforting your baby.

No aftercare is required, other than perhaps a little pain relief. It is worth bearing in mind that hygienic feeding, either breast or bottle is important to prevent the development of infections. A review is not normally arranged.

Whilst a review appointment is not normally necessary, you are welcome to call us any time after the procedure for further feeding support.

Mr Kandasamy Ganesan

BDS
MDS (OMFS)
MFDS RCS(ENG)
FFD RCS(IRE)

General Dental Council Registration Number 84896

Consultant Oral Surgeon
Southend University Hospital NHS Trust

Honorary Senior Lecturer University of Leeds

General Dental Council Registered
Specialist in Oral Surgery.

Mr Ganesan has a special interest in neonatal tongue tie and he is actively involved in research regarding the effect of tongue tie on new born babies.

Tongue Tie Research

Tongue Tie – Is it Related to Gastrointestinal Problems

What is Posterior Tongue Tie

Where our tongue tie clinic is based

We are based in Brentwood, Essex in the High Street.

There are a number of public car parks in Brentwood, please visit our Contact page for more information.