Tongue & Lip Tie Treatment in Boerne, TX

From the moment a baby is born, so much depends on the ability to feed well, breathe freely, and develop normally. When a tongue or lip tie is present, even the most basic functions — nursing, swallowing, speaking — can become a daily struggle for infants, children, and their families.

At Boerne Orthodontics & Pediatrics, we understand how much a tongue or lip tie can affect your child’s quality of life — and how much it can affect yours as a parent. We offer compassionate, expert tongue and lip tie evaluation and treatment for patients of all ages, from newborns to teenagers, right here in Boerne, TX.

A tongue tie — medically known as ankyloglossia — occurs when the lingual frenulum, the small band of tissue connecting the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth, is too short, too thick, or too tight. This restricts the tongue’s range of motion and can interfere with a wide range of functions that depend on normal tongue movement.

Tongue ties vary in severity. Some are immediately visible and easy to identify. Others are posterior tongue ties that sit further back and are less obvious but equally — or sometimes more — impactful on function.

A lip tie occurs when the labial frenulum — the tissue connecting the upper lip to the gum above the front teeth — is overly thick or tight, limiting how freely the upper lip can move and flange outward. Lip ties frequently occur alongside tongue ties and can contribute to many of the same feeding and developmental challenges.

For newborns and infants, tongue and lip ties most commonly present as breastfeeding difficulties — and they can be deeply frustrating for both baby and mother. Common signs of a tongue or lip tie in infants include:

• Difficulty latching or maintaining a latch during breastfeeding
• Clicking or smacking sounds while nursing or bottle feeding
• Frequent falling off the breast or bottle
• Excessive gas, colic, or reflux symptoms
• Poor weight gain or slow growth
• Fatigue during feedings — falling asleep before finishing
• Nipple pain, compression, or damage for nursing mothers
• Milk leaking from the corners of the baby’s mouth during feeds

If you are struggling with breastfeeding and suspect a tongue or lip tie may be involved, early evaluation and treatment can make an enormous difference for both you and your baby.

Tongue and lip ties don’t always cause obvious problems in infancy — and in some cases, they go unidentified until a child is older and presenting with a different set of challenges. In children and teenagers, untreated tongue and lip ties can contribute to:

Speech Difficulties The tongue plays a central role in producing many speech sounds. A restricted tongue can make it difficult or impossible to correctly produce sounds like “l,” “r,” “t,” “d,” “n,” “th,” and “s,” leading to speech delays or articulation challenges that may persist despite speech therapy.

Dental and Orthodontic Issues A tight lip tie can create a gap between the upper front teeth (diastema) and interfere with normal lip seal. Tongue ties can affect the resting posture of the tongue, contributing to narrow dental arches, open bites, and other orthodontic concerns. Addressing a tongue or lip tie is often an important part of achieving the best possible orthodontic outcome.

Airway and Breathing Concerns The tongue’s resting position — ideally against the roof of the mouth — plays a significant role in proper facial development and nasal breathing. A restricted tongue that cannot achieve correct resting posture may contribute to mouth breathing, snoring, and sleep-disordered breathing concerns.

Difficulty Eating Children with tongue ties may have trouble managing certain food textures, chewing efficiently, or clearing food from around the teeth and gums — which can affect both nutrition and oral hygiene.

Oral Hygiene Challenges A tight lip tie can make it difficult to clean the gum tissue near the upper front teeth, increasing the risk of plaque buildup and early tooth decay in that area.

Diagnosing a tongue or lip tie goes beyond simply looking at whether tissue is present — it requires a thorough functional assessment of how the restriction is affecting your child. At Boerne Orthodontics & Pediatrics, our evaluation includes:

• A comprehensive oral examination to assess the frenulum attachments
• Functional assessment of tongue and lip mobility and range of motion
• A review of your child’s feeding history, speech development, dental development, and any symptoms you’ve observed at home
• A discussion of your child’s overall health, airway, and orthodontic picture

We take the time to listen carefully to what you’ve been experiencing as a parent. You know your child best, and your observations are an important part of how we assess and diagnose.

The treatment for a tongue or lip tie is a procedure called a frenectomy — the release of the restrictive frenulum tissue. When performed by an experienced provider at the appropriate time, a frenectomy can have a profound and immediate impact on function.

At Boerne Orthodontics & Pediatrics, frenectomies are performed using a soft tissue laser. Laser frenectomy offers significant advantages over traditional scissor or scalpel techniques, including:

Precision — The laser allows for highly controlled, accurate tissue release with minimal impact on surrounding structures.

Reduced Bleeding — The laser simultaneously cauterizes as it works, resulting in significantly less bleeding than traditional methods.

Reduced Risk of Infection — The laser’s energy sterilizes the treatment site as it works, lowering the risk of post-procedure infection.

Faster Healing — Laser frenectomy sites typically heal more quickly and with less discomfort than traditional incisions.

Minimal Discomfort — For infants especially, the procedure is remarkably quick. Older children receive local anesthesia for complete comfort throughout.

The procedure itself takes only a matter of minutes. For nursing infants, breastfeeding immediately after the procedure is encouraged and often shows immediate improvement.

For infants and young children especially, the frenectomy procedure is most effective when combined with appropriate follow-up care. Depending on your child’s age and needs, our team may recommend:

• Lactation consultant support for nursing mothers and infants following a newborn frenectomy
• Oral motor exercises to help retrain the tongue and establish new movement patterns after release
• Speech therapy for older children with speech concerns related to their tongue tie
• Myofunctional therapy to address tongue posture, swallowing patterns, and breathing habits

We will work alongside your child’s other care providers — including lactation consultants, speech-language pathologists, and myofunctional therapists — to ensure your child receives truly comprehensive, coordinated care.

Because our practice combines both pediatric dentistry and orthodontics under one roof, we are uniquely positioned to evaluate how a tongue or lip tie may be influencing your child’s dental development and orthodontic needs — and to address both together.

For children and teens already in orthodontic treatment or preparing to begin, identifying and releasing a tongue or lip tie at the right time can improve treatment outcomes, reduce the likelihood of relapse, and support healthier long-term function. Our team will coordinate your child’s frenectomy and orthodontic care seamlessly so nothing falls through the cracks.

Learn more about our pediatric dentistry services and our full approach to children’s oral health at Boerne Orthodontics & Pediatrics.

Because our practice combines both pediatric dentistry and orthodontics under one roof, we are uniquely positioned to evaluate how a tongue or lip tie may be influencing your child’s dental development and orthodontic needs — and to address both together.

For children and teens already in orthodontic treatment or preparing to begin, identifying and releasing a tongue or lip tie at the right time can improve treatment outcomes, reduce the likelihood of relapse, and support healthier long-term function. Our team will coordinate your child’s frenectomy and orthodontic care seamlessly so nothing falls through the cracks.

Learn more about our pediatric dentistry services and our full approach to children’s oral health at Boerne Orthodontics & Pediatrics.

Families throughout Boerne, Fair Oaks Ranch, Helotes, Comfort, and the surrounding Hill Country trust Boerne Orthodontics & Pediatrics because we genuinely care about each child as an individual — not just the condition we’re treating.

We know that navigating a tongue or lip tie diagnosis can feel overwhelming, especially when you’ve been struggling with feeding or watching your child work through challenges that haven’t had a clear explanation. Our team approaches every family with patience, honesty, and the time needed to make sure all of your questions are answered.

We’d love the opportunity to meet your family. Learn more about our practice and the team behind it.