Frequently Asked Questions

Dental sealants are used to protect a child’s molars from cavities. The back molars have tiny grooves on the biting surface that can be difficult to reach and to clean. Dental sealants, which consist of a clear plastic resin, can be applied to your child’s molars. This creates a strong barrier and shield that prevents bacteria, acid, and plaque from becoming trapped in the grooves. This highly effective treatment helps prevent cavities from forming, creating a healthier, happier smile for your child.

In some babies, a small cord of tissue can exist, which connects the baby’s tongue to the floor of the mouth and/or from the lips to the gums. This can restrict the movement of the tongue and lip, and prevent proper function in feeding. Ultimately, it can lead to an improper latch, nipple pain and damage, poor weight gain, and decline in milk supply for the mother. Tongue and lip ties may also affect speech and the development of your little one’s jaw and teeth.

The most common signs and symptoms of lip and tongue ties in babies are related to feeding. By having a detailed history and discussion with the mom in regards to their infant’s symptoms, Dr. Choi will recommend the best resolution for your little one. Because the tongue is restricted in its natural movement of sucking and feeding, a baby is unable to latch deeply onto the breast. To compound this, a tongue tie can also be seen in conjunction with a high palate, which further decreases the suction. Other symptoms include “clicking” sounds while nursing, leaking milk, coughing or choking, gas pain, reflux, and coming on and off the breast. For the mother, symptoms may include nipple pain and trauma, poor breast drainage, weak latch, and decreased milk production.

A frenectomy is a seamless, pain-free procedure performed to treat tongue and lip ties. By using a laser, the restrictive tissue is removed from the tongue or lips, and your little one can typically begin breastfeeding as soon as the treatment is complete.

We may recommend X-rays as a part of your child’s comprehensive oral exam, as they can be important diagnostic, preventive tools. These high quality images help Dr. Choi to identify any possible oral development issues, tooth decay, or other dental issues that may go unrecognized otherwise.