Case Study: Ankyloglossia, Surgery
July 21, 2010 by Doug Larson
Filed under Children
Unable to move tongue forward
I wrote a post about being tongue tied a few weeks ago. Here’s a link to the previous post on ankyloglossia. And this week a patient came in that need to have the lingual frenum “clipped” or more accurately “lasered.” This post contains the photos of the case.
Photo’s of the Patient
The tongue position was similar, just a little worse compared to the last case but the patients speech wasn’t developing as it should. So this procedure removes one obstacle to improving the speech.
Deep V-shape in the top of the tongue.
The before photos show the in-ablilty to move the forward. Additionally the second photo show’s the patient lifting his tongue as high as possible. Notice the deep V-shape created by the frenum holding the bottom of the tongue down.
Using laser on the tongue
Notice the area under the tongue that was lasered.
Start with a few drops of anesthetic. Literally, I didn’t us more than 6 drops. Lift the tongue up with a piece of gauze. Use the laser to cut the tissue. Laser’s are wonderful. Quicker healing, less post op discomfort. Photo three shows the tip of the laser being used to preform the procedure.
Much more freedom to move the tongue.
Moving the tongue forward is very much improved. The tip is not being held back.
Now he should be able to stick his tongue out along with everyone else.
Doug Larson, DDS 42 West Campbell Avenue Campbell, CA 95008 408.374.6160About the author
Doug Larson, DDS leads the team at The Smile Specialists in Campbell, California. The dental practice is a progressive cosmetic, restorative and preventative family dental practice. We provide our patients with the most comprehensive dentistry available in a comfortable state-of-the art facility, the planet can be proud of. Our services are designed to maintain the health of our patients’ teeth, improve their overall oral wellness and provide beautiful smiles. Our team works to empower patients with the knowledge necessary to make educated choices about their dental treatment options. We also understand that for many, a trip to the dentist can be a source of anxiety. We want to help you reduce that anxiety. Call and allow us to help.
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