If you’ve been told that your child could benefit from a frenectomy procedure in Houston, TX, you may have some questions about what the procedure will entail and how you can best prepare yourself and your child on the day of treatment.
Although the word frenectomy is not a word that many people hear very often, you’ll be comforted to know that frenectomies as a result of lip ties are a very common pediatric dental procedure performed at Molar Bear Pediatrics in our child-friendly Houston dentist office.
Why are dentists concerned about your child’s frenum? There are several reasons, but the two most common are that lip ties can contribute to cavities in the upper teeth and lead to gaps between a child’s two front teeth. In the case of infants, a frenectomy may be needed to make it easier for the child to nurse or breastfeed.
If you’re wondering whether or not your child may be a candidate for a frenectomy that has not yet been diagnosed by a pediatric dentist or your child’s pediatrician, here are three benchmarks to look for in your child:
The reason these three questions are so important is that the answer to them reflects whether or not your child may be experiencing restrictions in their oral movement. If left unchecked, this restriction could lead to the concerns already mentioned in addition to others, such as an interruption in a child’s speech pattern.
Molar Bear Pediatrics advises parents to remember that their children always pick up on their behavior. For this reason, it’s important that you stay as calm as possible and talk very little about the procedure in front of your child. It’s also recommended that you bring along a favorite toy or stuffed animal and leave other children at home.
To learn more about frenectomies and how you can prepare both yourself and your child for the procedure, please make an appointment today with the caring and professional staff at Molar Bear Pediatrics.