Closing an Unattractive Gap between Your Two Front Teeth

Babies that are born tongue-tied have limited mobility over their tongues. This can have a huge impact on their ability to thrive and receive a constant milk supply. It may also interfere with the baby's ability to bond with the ability. This condition is congenital and affects approximately 0.2% to 2% of all babies. The first sign that a baby has this condition is when they cannot properly attach themselves to their mother's nipples. With this said, completely removing the frenum via a tongue tie frenectomy may be the solution. There are several techniques used to accomplish this goal. Here are 3 reasons why you should opt for the Z plasty technique over other alternatives.

Minimal Scarring for Better Aesthetics

While other frenectomy techniques may result in scarring, the incisions used in Z plasty are usually able to camouflage the scars using various suture techniques and designs. The middle line of the Z-shaped incision is generally made along the areas with the greatest tension or contraction, so that the scar will be concealed by natural skin tension lines. The incisions are also designed to relax or release scar contractures. As your baby recovers, the scarring will subside. Before long, you won't even be able to see the scarring at all.

This is great for parents who are concerned with preserving their baby's overall aesthetics. Scarring from tongue tie frenectomy can be quite obvious and noticeable if it is not concealed properly. You don't want your child to be marked for life.

Higher Improvements in Speech

Although being tongue-tied has only affected your baby's ability to feed at the moment, this condition will affect them later on in life as well. Those who are tongue-tied generally have difficulties pronouncing words clearly. This may impact their speech and their ability to socialize as well. By getting a frenectomy early on, your baby will be able to develop normally and will not have to suffer from hindered speech.

With that said, Z plasty is superior to other techniques in the sense that it has been shown to better improve speech. This technique seems to free the muscles required for pronunciation without affecting anything else. 91% of patients who chose to get a Z plasty frenectomy experienced an improvement in speech in comparison to 40% of patients who chose other techniques.

Improvements in Frenulum Length and Tongue Protrusion

Babies who are tongue-tied often have limited mobility in their tongues. They aren't able to extend their tongues outward by much, as the frenulum holds the muscles back. In addition, this condition may also limit how the tongue can be moved inside the move. With that said, Z plasty frenectomies offer better improvements in frenulum length and tongue protrusion than any other surgical technique.

Improvements in these areas not only improve speech, as mentioned above, but also improve one's ability to eat properly and perform other actions. As your baby still has a lot of time to develop and grow, getting a Z plasty frenectomy while they're still young will help to ensure that their tongues develop properly and normally.

Conclusion

If being tongue-tied is severely affecting your baby, don't wait. Sign your baby up for a frenectomy as soon as possible. This way, they can enjoy the benefits of the surgery without having to deal with the pain and discomfort later on. In fact, they won't even remember that they got a frenectomy when they grow up. In addition, your baby will be able to develop normally and properly throughout their teenage and adolescent years without having to deal with any of the common problems that are brought on by being tongue-tied. You can click this link to learn more about this topic.