Tongue- & lip-tie care

Gentle tongue- and lip-tie care, from newborns to teens

When nursing is painful or a baby struggles to feed, it is exhausting for the whole family. Dr. Bracy, a board-certified pediatric dentist and certified lactation counselor, evaluates tongue and lip function carefully, releases a tie with a gentle laser when it is truly needed, and stays with you through healing.

Join the opening list How a Release Works

Understanding ties

What a tongue- or lip-tie is

Everyone has a frenum, the small band of tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth and the lip to the gums. A tie is a frenum that is tight, thick, or attached in a way that limits normal movement.

For a baby, a restricted tongue can make it hard to create the seal and suction that feeding requires. A tight upper lip can lead to a shallow latch. As children grow, the same restriction can affect speech, chewing, and where the tongue rests, which in turn influences how the jaws develop and how a child breathes.

Our philosophy

We treat function, not appearance

Many children have a frenum that looks prominent yet works perfectly well. When feeding, speech, and growth are on track, we simply monitor. We recommend a release only when a tie is affecting how your child feeds, speaks, or develops, or when it raises the risk of cavities.

We support every family's feeding journey, whether that means nursing, bottle feeding, or both, and we will never judge the path you choose.

Part of the airway picture

Why tongue-tie care belongs in an airway practice

The tongue does more than help a baby feed. At rest, it sits against the roof of the mouth, where it helps guide how the upper jaw widens and grows. When a tie keeps the tongue low, a child may rely more on mouth breathing, and the jaws may develop with less room for the teeth and the airway.

That is why Dr. Bracy and Dr. Chay look at tongue function and jaw growth together. A release is never a stand-alone answer to breathing or sleep concerns, and not every child with a tie needs one. When a release is part of the plan, it may be paired with feeding support, myofunctional therapy, or orthodontic care, and we coordinate with the other professionals involved in your child’s care.

What families notice

Signs a tie may be part of the picture

These signs have many possible causes. An evaluation helps sort out which ones point to a tie.

In your baby

A shallow latch, clicking, or slipping off while feeding
Long feeds, or falling asleep at the breast from fatigue
Gas, fussiness, or reflux from swallowing air
Slow weight gain
Difficulty taking a bottle or pacifier

For the nursing parent

Pain during feeding that does not ease
Creased, flattened, cracked, or bleeding nipples
Plugged ducts or mastitis
A breast that does not feel fully drained
Concerns about milk supply

In older children

Speech sounds that are difficult to form
Trouble moving food around the mouth while chewing
Mouth breathing or a low resting tongue
Restless sleep or snoring
Food collecting around the upper front teeth

Your visit

How a release works

A release is one step in a larger plan. We make sure you understand each part of it before we begin.

A consultation with Dr. Bracy

Dr. Bracy reviews your feeding history, assesses how the tongue and lip move rather than only how they look, and explains her diagnosis and the laser therapy options. If a release will not help, she will tell you.

A quick laser release

The laser portion takes well under a minute, and your child is typically with our team for only a few minutes. The laser seals as it works, so there is little to no bleeding.

Back in your arms

Your baby returns to you right away, and you are welcome to feed right away in the privacy of your suite.

Guided healing

We teach you the gentle aftercare stretches in person, schedule follow-up visits, and coordinate with your lactation consultant and other therapists as your child heals.

Beyond infancy

Care for older children and teens

Ties are not only a concern for babies. For an older child, a release works best alongside a speech-language pathologist or myofunctional therapist, who prepares the muscles beforehand and retrains them afterward. Dr. Bracy will walk you through each step during the consultation.

Because a restricted tongue can influence jaw growth and breathing, we also evaluate whether airway-focused orthodontic care would help. Dr. Bracy provides early airway treatment for young children, and Dr. Chay leads orthodontic care as they grow. Having both specialists in one office means your child's plan is coordinated from the start. Learn about airway orthodontics.

Questions parents ask

Frequently asked questions

Can I stay with my baby during the procedure?

Laser safety rules require that parents wait just outside the treatment room. A member of our team carries your baby to and from the room, and you are apart for only a few minutes.

Does every tie need to be released?

No. If your child is feeding, speaking, and growing well, we monitor rather than treat. We recommend a release only when a tie is affecting function.

What happens after the release?

You will learn a short routine of gentle stretches that help the area heal well. We see you for follow-up visits and stay in close contact with your lactation consultant or therapist.

Do you work with my lactation consultant?

Yes. We welcome referrals from lactation consultants and value their insight before and after a release. Many families come to us through them.

We would love to meet your family

A consultation is the best place to start. We will listen, examine, and walk you through what we see, with time for every question you bring.

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