Tongue & Lip Tie Treatment (Laser Frenectomy) in Tribeca, NYC

The lingual frenulum is a small band of tissue under the tongue that most people never notice — until it causes problems. In infants, a restrictive tie can turn breastfeeding into a daily struggle: poor latch, marathon feeding sessions, slow weight gain, and pain for the mother. We've watched exhausted parents arrive at our Tribeca office after weeks of frustration and leave an hour later with a baby nursing peacefully for the first time.

What many don't realize is that tongue tie isn't just a baby issue. In older children, it can affect speech development, swallowing, and facial growth. In teens and adults, a tongue that can't rest properly against the palate contributes to chronic mouth breathing — and mouth breathing is directly tied to sleep quality, posture, and even obstructive sleep apnea. That's why we evaluate the frenulum as part of our whole-airway health philosophy.

The laser procedure we use takes under a minute for infants and just minutes for older children and adults. The laser seals blood vessels as it works, meaning minimal bleeding, minimal discomfort, and remarkably fast healing. For babies, we apply a topical numbing gel; for older patients, local anesthetic. Afterward, we show you exactly which gentle exercises to do at home — five seconds, several times a day — to ensure the tongue develops its full range of motion.

Not every frenulum needs treatment — and a good evaluation tells the difference. When a baby comes to our office, Dr. Nina doesn't just look at the tissue under the tongue: she watches how the baby feeds, assesses the tongue's range of motion, checks the latch, and talks with you about what you've noticed at home. A visible frenulum isn't always a problematic one. We only recommend release when the restriction is causing a real problem — feeding difficulty, nursing pain, or later on, speech issues or mouth breathing.

After the laser procedure — which takes under a minute for infants — the most important work happens at home. We teach you gentle stretches that take about five seconds, several times a day for the first few weeks. They're not painful for the baby, and they're the key to the tissue healing with full range of motion instead of tightening again. Most parents tell us that after the first day, the stretches become a natural part of the routine, like changing a diaper.

For older children and adults, the release is usually part of a bigger plan. A tongue that has been restricted for years doesn't automatically learn its correct new position — which is why we often recommend myofunctional therapy before and after the procedure: guided exercises that retrain the tongue to rest against the palate, encourage nasal breathing, and stabilize the results long-term. It's the difference between releasing the tissue and actually changing the habit.