Comfort:
Babies are usually calmed by skin to skin contact and their feedings. Babies generally do well without pain relievers after a frenectomy. Only if your normal soothing methods are not working, does our Hudsonville, MI, pediatric dentist find it appropriate to suggest pain medication. Most babies will cry within the first few hours of treatment and comfort will increase with time, especially within the first 48 hours.
You should check specifically for a recommended dose of Tylenol based on your baby’s weight from your baby’s doctor, our pediatric dentist who performed the release, or from your pharmacist. Tylenol should only be given every 6 hours to prevent overdose. If your baby has any currently diagnosed liver problems, Tylenol should not be taken. We also do not recommend giving Motrin (Ibuprofen) to a baby under 6 months of age.
Arnica is a holistic alternative to OTC medications. You can find Arnica at homeopathic stores or on Amazon. Arnica can be given as needed for pain by dissolving 3 pellets in a small amount of water or breastmilk and given in a syringe.
Bleeding:
Some bleeding after the frenectomy procedure is normal within the first 24 hours. Please contact our Hudsonville, MI, pediatric dental office if bleeding continues.
Exercises:
The main risk of is re-attachment because the mouth heals very quickly. Quick oral healing is normally a great thing, but in this situation, it may cause partial re-attachment of your baby’s tie release at the fold of either their lip or tongue site. This may cause persistence, a return or worsening of some of the tie’s symptoms.
To minimize this undesired healing, the newly freed fold in the diamond release areas will need to be kept separated/open using very gentle lifts of the lip/pulling down of the chin and additional finger sweep stretches of the newly created diamond shaped areas as demonstrated by our dentist. These exercises should be done at a minimum every 6 hours over the 2-3 weeks following treatment to prevent re-attachment of the tissue.
For babies, the exercises can be done even when sleeping. The lift of the lip needs to be high enough to see that the fold of the diamond is gently spread. The lift of the lip should occlude both nares. The lift of the tongue should be with solid counter pressure on the floor of the mouth. You can also gently pull the chin down to see the spread of the diamond. Do these exercises until the diamond shaped areas are the same in their inside appearance/color as the surrounding tissue.
In addition to lifts and sweeps, it is important to encourage tongue movement to increase the underdeveloped oral strength. Your baby now has an increased ability to elevate their tongue, move it from left to right, and extend (sticking the tongue out). These are the movements that need to be exercised and developed.
Gentle stroking of the hard palate (the roof of the mouth) will encourage the tongue to elevate. Strokes of the gum lines to the left and right side should cause the tongue to follow in those two directions. The tongue will elevate/extend when sucking on a pacifier or finger if you gently pull the pacifier or finger out of their mouth. These exercises should be done daily starting 3 days after a procedure (while lifts and sweeps should be done immediately following treatment).
Your child may need additional care from other providers after treatment. Our dentist will have recommendations based on your child’s specific needs. These providers may include an IBCLC, lactation counselor, craniosacral therapist, occupational therapist, myofunctional therapist, speech pathologist, and/or chiropractor.
Please do not hesitate to contact our office with any questions or concerns.
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Our pediatric dentist in Hudsonville, MI, has undergone specialized training in child psychology, sedation, and behavior management. Our team is dedicated to providing a safe, positive dental experience for your child.
If you would like more information or would like to request an appointment, call Hudsonville Dental today at (616) 209-4039, or contact us online by clicking or tapping the button below: