MEET YOUR TONGUE-TIE SPECIALIST

Dr. David Kornstein

Dr. Kornstein, your tongue-tie specialist, earned his Doctorate of Dental Surgery from the University of North Carolina and his Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry from the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery/University of Maryland Children’s Hospital. He believes that pediatric dentistry gives him the unique opportunity to help children foster great self-esteem as they learn to navigate a potentially stressful situation with playfulness, creativity and imagination.

Dr. Kornstein pediatric dentist headshot wake orthodontic and pediatric dentistry

WHAT IS A FRENECTOMY?

A frenectomy/frenotomy is a simple procedure performed at our tongue-tie center in Raleigh and Garner to remove thick or tight tissue that is impeding either your lip or tongue from proper movement or function. Commonly called a lip or tongue-tie, they can impede a child’s lip or tongue. Typically, the area is numbed, your dentist uses a laser that allows us to perform the procedure with minimal discomfort for the patient, minimal to no bleeding and no use of sutures in most cases. Young children may be administered nitrous oxide to help them relax.

The goal of the procedure is to have the frenum heal and re-form as far back as possible. After a frenectomy/frenotomy at our center in Raleigh and Garner, the treatment area may be uncomfortable for a few days. This is normal. You will be instructed how to help your child properly exercise the area in order to prevent the tissue from re-adhering during the healing process. Healing is fairly rapid. The site should be completely healed within 2-3 weeks.

DOES YOUR CHILD HAVE A TONGUE OR LIP TIE?

Here are the signs of lip and tongue-ties:

INFANTS

  • Difficulty nursing or feeding from a bottle
  • Excessive fussiness
  • Leakage from the mouth when nursing or taking a bottle
  • Clicking sounds when eating
  • Difficulty gaining weight
  • Reflux or gassiness
  • Inability to lift the tongue to the upper teeth or sticking out the tongue past the lower front teeth
  • A tongue that appears bent or heart-shaped when stuck out

TODDLERS

  • Picky or slow eating habits
  • Mumbled or delayed speech that is sometimes difficult to understand
  • Regular gagging on food and drinks
  • Restless sleeping
  • Teeth grinding
  • Snoring or sleeping with an open mouth
  • Difficulty sticking out the tongue
  • Poor oral hygiene, even with regular brushing

Does your child experience any of these symptoms? Schedule a consultation with Dr. Kornstein at the Wake Pediatric Tongue-Tie Center in Raleigh or Garner today to learn more and find out how we can help.

TREATMENT OF TONGUE AND LIP TIES

The limiting effects of a tongue or lip tie in your child can be remedied by a frenectomy/frenotomy. This is a simple procedure performed at our tongue-tie center in Raleigh and Garner, in which Dr. Kornstein gently removes the thick or tight tissue that is impeding the lip or tongue from performing its proper movement function. Typically, the area is numbed, and Dr. Kornstein uses a tiny laser that allows us to perform the procedure with minimal discomfort for the patient, little to no bleeding and, in most cases, no need for sutures. Young children may also be administered nitrous oxide to help them relax during the procedure.

WHY CHOOSE WAKE?

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Cutting-edge laser technology means our patients can benefit from the most gentle, precise and effective methods for tongue and lip tie corrections available.

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Our personalized care ensures your child’s needs are met on an individual basis, meaning you can rest assured that your child has our complete, devoted attention.

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Our family-friendly and fun environment means you and your child can take advantage of our warm, inviting offices filled with smiles and laughter.

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Our team of seasoned pros means you and your child can benefit from specialists dedicated to the oral health of your child with the skills to back it up.

OUR LASER TREATMENT PROCESS

LIGHTSCALPEL™ CO2 LASER FOR FRENECTOMY

At Wake Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, we are committed to improving our patients’ experience through continuing education and advanced dental training. Our mission is to provide the highest quality of care for our patients and we are excited to introduce the CO2 Laser. This state-of-the-art dental technology will allow us to serve our patients in a way that not only maximizes patient comfort and shortens chair time, but improves the quality of our work with laser precision.

THE BENEFITS OF CO2 LASER TREATMENT

Currently, we are offering CO2 laser treatment for frenectomy procedures to treat tongue-ties and lip ties at our offices in Raleigh and Garner.

There are many benefits with this new technology including:

  • Reduces the risk of infection
  • Faster recovery
  • Pinpoint precision
  • Minimal bleeding which shortens treatment time
  • Minimizes swelling and discomfort
Surgical co2 laser frenectomy treatment tongue tie

SUCCESS STORIES FROM REAL MOMS

Seth’s Tongue-Tie Success Story

Tongue-tie can affect more than just feeding during infancy. For children like Seth, restricted tongue movement can also impact everyday activities, including eating and trying new foods. Seth’s tongue-tie success story highlights the positive changes he experienced after his tongue-tie release at Wake Tongue Tie Clinic.

At his one-month follow-up, Seth was all smiles as he shared his excitement about his improved tongue mobility and willingness to explore new foods. While mac and cheese is still his favorite, he’s now enjoying trying new things! His determination and enthusiasm throughout his journey have been an inspiration to our entire team.

Tongue-tie treatment success story showing before-and-after tongue mobility and a pediatric patient with a wake tongue tie clinic provider.
Cole’s tongue-tie success story before and after photos
Side profile posture improvement after frenectomy at wake orthodontics in smithfield nc
Before and after posture improvement following frenectomy treatment at wake orthodontics in raleigh nc

Cole’s Tongue-Tie Success Story

When most people think of a tongue-tie, they picture babies who struggle with feeding, but symptoms can show up much later in childhood. Cole’s journey is a powerful tongue-tie success story that shows how addressing a posterior tongue-tie can improve sleep, posture, breathing and overall function.

For parents searching for answers, Cole’s tongue-tie success story brings awareness and hope that improvement is possible at any age.

Penelope had difficulty feeding as an infant and Dr Kornstein was able to help her improve her latch and milk transfer with a tongue and lip tie release so she was on top of the situation when her new baby sister Rosalie was having similar symptoms. She was also ready to help post op to calm her lil sis down. Thank you Penelope.

Anonymous

Dr. Kornstein made my daughters frenectomy a much easier experience than I was anticipating! He is very knowledgeable and made sure I knew what to expect and made sure I didn’t feel any pressure to commit during my whole visit. The staff that assisted with the procedure was also very friendly and supportive throughout the experience. Highly recommend this office for anybody that is unsure if their child has a tongue or lip tie!

Katie M.

I took my baby to Dr. Dave to have her tongue and lip tie fixed. There are not enough words to describe how wonderful Dr. Dave and the staff are! I was walked though the entire procedure beforehand, the cost was explained in detail multiple times, there was no pressure to have anything done if I wanted time to research or think, and the follow ups were very through. My daughter has healed beautifully from her procedure and is now able to nurse better, and takes a bottle of pumped milk so I can return to work with less worry!

You can tell that Dr. Dave loves what he does, it shows in every interaction we had. I am looking forward to him being my daughter’s dentist for years to come, and am confident that she will love her dental visits because she is in the best hands!

Melissa S.

Dr. Kornstein was positively incredible during our tongue tie evaluation and procedure. His empathy, knowledge, confidence, and gentle disposition made a difficult situation more bearable. No parent wants to see their child in pain and he offered compassionate support every step of the way. He answered all of our questions, spent a ton of time with us, and personally followed up multiple times after the procedure.

When I had a minor “freak out” a day after our son’s procedure, he made himself available immediately (it was 9pm!). He gave all the reassurance needed. We will continue to take our two boys to see him for all of their dental and oral health needs. If you want modern facilities, cutting edge technology, and a brilliant provider while ALSO getting warm, personal attention…you must go to Dr. Kornstein. I cannot recommend him enough!

Alyssa

AMAZING BENEFITS AT WAKE PEDIATRIC TONGUE-TIE CENTER

CALEB’S STORY

At Wake Pediatric Tongue-Tie Center in in Raleigh and Garner, we help children thrive by treating tongue and lip-ties.

  • EAT THEIR FILL: Nursing and bottle-fed infants can latch with ease, and older children are able to eat freely as well, leading to less pain while nursing and fewer difficulties at the dinner table.

  • A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP: Once your child can breathe freely through their nose as opposed to their mouth, they will get a higher quality of sleep, helping them feel rested and helping to improve their mood throughout the day.

  • BABBLE WITH THE BEST: After treatment with Dr. Kornstein, young toddlers are able to speak with less difficulty, which helps you to understand their needs, improves their confidence and strengthens the bond between parent and child.

REAL PATIENT SUCCESS STORY

Wake Pediatric Tongue-Tie Center patient, Emily, came to us with several issues that could be partially attributed to a restricted tongue or lip tie. Her procedure and her post-operative exercises made the outcome a fantastic success. Emily made her post-frenectomy routine fun by creating challenges to help complete over 5,000 post-op exercises. In combination with her frenectomy procedure, these exercises have helped to improve Emily’s speech, sleep and eating.

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER THE PROCEDURE

After undergoing a frenectomy procedure at our tongue-tie center in Raleigh or Garner, you can typically expect some mild discomfort and swelling for a few days. Proper postoperative care, including gentle cleaning of the surgical site and following any specific instructions provided by Dr. Kornstein is essential for optimal healing. In many cases, patients notice an immediate improvement in speech, oral hygiene and overall comfort. As the area heals over time, any lingering discomfort subsides and the mouth adjusts to the increased range of motion, which leads to improved functionality and oral health.

POST-FRENECTOMY PAIN MANAGEMENT

After a frenectomy procedure at our Raleigh or Garner office with Dr. Kornstein, managing postoperative pain is essential for a smooth recovery. Patients may experience mild to moderate discomfort, which can typically be alleviated with over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Additionally, applying ice packs to the surgical site for short intervals during the first 24-48 hours can help reduce swelling and numb the area. If the pain persists or worsens, it’s important to contact us at 919-719-1780 for further guidance and evaluation.

Frenectomy FAQs

At Wake Pediatric Tongue-Tie Center, we understand that having your child undergone any kind of procedure can feel scary. Your child is in the best of hands with our experienced frenectomy specialist, Dr. Kornstein. Before your child’s procedure, we are here to ease your mind by answering some of the most common questions we receive about tongue-ties and lip ties.

A tongue-tie is when the tissue called the frenulum connecting the tongue to the bottom of the mouth is too tight or thick, while in a lip tie, the frenulum connecting the lips to the top gums is too thick or tight.

Dr. Korstein will discuss your child’s symptoms and perform a physical evaluation of the mouth to check your baby’s range of motion. We may also take pictures of your child’s mouth.

Dr. Kornstein performs tongue-tie and lip tie releases at Wake Pediatric Tongue-Tie Center at both our Raleigh and Garner locations.

A laser frenectomy is a quick, minimally invasive procedure that heals faster, bleeds less and has a lower risk of complications than traditional frenectomies performed with sterile scissors.

Most babies are able to nurse immediately after the procedure to help soothe them. Afterwards, you may experience some initial breastfeeding difficulties during the healing process, but resolving the tongue or lip tie should ultimately improve breastfeeding success.

OUR FRENECTOMY CENTERS

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GARNER OFFICE

Offering Orthodontics, Pediatric
Dentistry & Frenectomy

100 Health Park Dr., Suite 100
Garner, NC 27529
(919) 719-1780

Raleigh nc

RALEIGH OFFICE

Offering Orthodontics, Pediatric
Dentistry & Frenectomy

7401 Creedmoor Rd.
Raleigh, NC 27613
(919) 719-1780

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Wake pediatric patient hugging stuffed monkey
Wake exterior signage

READY TO GET STARTED?

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.