How are we different?
The component to my practice that differentiates it from others is the concept of a whole body approach to lip and tongue tie. Everybody has a frenum… we just need to figure out if it is really tied or not. How do we do this? The goal for all children whether its babies, toddler, school aged, or adolescent, is to get the patient moving. What does this look like? For babies, we do a hands-on assessment to assess restrictions with in the body. We address these restrictions first before performing a frenectomy. Sometimes addressing the body first can allow a patient to get better tongue mobility. Imagine trying to drink water with your neck stuck in a flexion position. You would get frustrated, drink less water, and ultimately have poor function. If you were able to get your neck free and mobile and be able to lift your chip up to drink from a glass, you would be able to increase your intake of fluids. The same is true with nursing or bottle feeding. If you cannot lift your neck/chin to get into the proper extension, then you will have difficulty feeding.
After we have felt the restrictions in the body (hips, neck, jaw), then we strategize a plan. This plan could include other providers if necessary. For example, lactation consultant, speech language pathologist, osteopath, chiropractor, myofunctional therapist could all be possible referrals. The other part of the plan includes strategizing the right time for mother and child to perform the frenectomy. All parents are made aware of the procedure and the exercises that are necessary before the procedure has happened. Parents start exercises prior to the release so that they know and are comfortable getting in the child’s mouth.
For our older kids, we do a thorough intake of their health history in order to better assess the patients function. Again we strategize a plan to determine which team members are specifically needed to assist with this patient. This usually includes a myofunctional therapist or a speech language pathologist. We also encourage that the patient seek the proper bodywork before and after in order to have a better procedure outcome.
Lastly, we provide a nurturing and caring environment for our patients. We want everyone to feel welcomed and that they are supported from the beginning through the end. Patients have my cell phone number before and after the release. They are able to ask questions whenever necessary.
