REAL PATIENT SUCCESS STORY

How a frenectomy made life easier

Wake tongue tie patient emily post frenectomy procedure
Pediatric tongue tie center logo

EMILY’S SUCCESS STORY

Wake Pediatric Tongue-Tie Center patient, Emily, came to us with several issues that could be partially attributed to a lip and tongue-tie. Her procedure and her post-operative exercises made the outcome a fantastic success.

TREATING A RESTRICTIVE TONGUE-TIE

Emily’s mom, Laura, brought her into our office for a consultation. Emily was having issues with sleep, speech and eating that could all be partially attributed to a restrictive tongue-tie. Dr. Kornstein explained the frenectomy procedure in detail and discussed the pros and cons of the treatment. This procedure simply removes the thick or tight tissue that impedes the tongue (or lip) from performing its proper movement function. The area would be numbed, and the dentist would use a tiny laser to perform the procedure with minimal discomfort for Emily. The procedure would produce little to no bleeding and should not require sutures.

Because reattachment can cause new limitations in mobility and the return of tongue (or lip) tie symptoms, post-operative exercises would be required. Emily would be required to follow up with post-surgery exercises (also known as Active Wound Care or AWC) to ensure that the released tissue doesn’t reattach during the rapid healing process. These exercises are one of the most important aspects of a tongue or lip-tie release, and they are required for approximately four weeks after treatment.

After determining the risk was low and the benefits high, both Emily and her mother excitedly elected to have the treatment.

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VARIETIES OF TONGUE EXERCISES PER DAY
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TOTAL TONGUE EXERCISES PER DAY
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TOTAL TONGUE EXERCISES IN 35 DAYS

POST-FRENECTOMY EXPERIENCE

The procedure was carried out as planned. Emily was a champ and even journaled her post-op experience. To make sure she completed her post-operative exercises, Emily challenged herself to keep the post-op routine fun. She did her post-operative stretches while doing headstands. Emily also created math problems to keep track of the number of post-operative stretches exercise routines she completed. Emily calculated that she had done 5,600 tongue exercise reps in 35 days. She was so proud and excited to return for her post-operative appointment to show Dr. Kornstein what she could do.

The patient and mom report significantly better speech and sleep and somewhat better feeding after the procedure. The following improvements were noted:

EMILY’S SPEECH

  • easier to communicate
  • easier to understand by parents and outsiders
  • easier to speak quickly and in long sentences
  • easier to get words out (less groping for words)
  • new words being articulated
  • less mumbling and less soft speaking

EMILY’S SLEEP

  • less sleeping in strange positions
  • less moving around at night
  • sleeping deeper and waking less often
  • waking up less tired and more refreshed
  • less sleeping with mouth open

EMILY’S EATING

  • easier to eat/swallow solid foods
  • eating faster
  • eating more food
  • finishing meals better/less grazing
  • trying new foods

HOW TO: MAKE POST-OP EXERCISES FUN

Wake Pediatric Tongue-Tie Center patient, Emily, demonstrates how she made her post-frenectomy routine fun by practicing her tongue exercises upside down! Emily created fun challenges to help complete over 5,000 post-operative exercises. In combination with her frenectomy procedure, these exercises have helped to improve Emily’s speech, sleep and eating.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS…

“Excited patients like Emily are the reason why I love this procedure so much. She said I made her life better. On the correct patient, a frenectomy can truly be impactful. It just doesn’t get much better than that.”
-Dr. Kornstein

“It just amazes me the immediate changes I saw in Emily after the frenectomy. I am absolutely delighted we had the procedure.”
-Laura, Emily’s Mother

Patient case study frenectomy tongue exercise post-op procedure
Patient tongue tie frenectomy procedure Frenectomy success results doctor kornstein wake raleigh
Patient frenectomy lip tie before surgery Patient frenectomy lip tie after surgery

Before the frenectomy, Emily would never smile and show her teeth. She noticed this difference before I did and told me that before, that piece of skin on her upper lip prevented her from giving a “good” smile! Now she loves her smile!!
– Laura, Emily’s Mother

Wake patients smiling in dental chairs
Wake pediatric patient hugging stuffed monkey
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Smiles Crafted With Precision, Care And Expertise

When it comes to your family’s oral health, seeking the expertise of Wake Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry is a choice that ensures quality, personalized care. Whether you’re seeking pediatric dental care or orthodontic treatment for your family, our team is dedicated to delivering exceptional service every step of the way. From the moment you reach out to us, you’ll experience professionalism, warmth and a commitment to creating healthy, beautiful smiles.