Frenotomy | Tongue Clip Surgery in Portland, Oregon
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Frenotomy

Frenotomy is a Safe and Effective Procedure

We all have a band of tissue under our tongue that connects to the floor of our mouth called the lingual frenulum. When that tissue is too short, too tight, or too far forward, it impacts tongue movement and can be called restrictive. Tongue tie in newborn infants can lead to pain with breastfeeding, feeds that take a long time due to poor milk transfer or poor latch, reflux symptoms from swallowing air, or poor weight gain for babies. All these things make mealtimes stressful for mom and baby, but we can help.

Schedule an Evaluation

Metro Pediatrics offers Lactation Consultants for optimized breastfeeding and nutrition, and we welcome your call if you have any concerns. After skilled lactation help, if we feel a release is needed, our frenotomy-trained pediatricians will perform the simple procedure quickly in our office. Mom and baby will soon be on their way to successful breastfeeding. If you would like to discuss this procedure with your provider, call 833-PDX-KIDS.

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What is a Frenotomy?

Frenotomy, also known as tongue clipping, is a surgical procedure to release tethered oral tissues that may be impacting breastfeeding. Lingual frenotomy is considered for infants having trouble establishing breastfeeding, not gaining weight, or whose mothers are having continued pain that’s not improving after help from a lactation specialist. Good candidates are babies under 2 months old who have already received their vitamin K shot and been seen by lactation to rule out other reasons breastfeeding may not be going well. Feeding difficulties often improve and birth weight will increase after more effective breastfeeding. We encourage parents to call their lactation consultant 3-5 days after a frenotomy to check the wound and work on positioning and latch. Your pediatrician may have specific exercises to promote healing after a frenotomy procedure. They will discuss these with you at your visit.

The procedure itself takes just a few seconds and mom can feed the baby right after. Sometimes this first feed feels better right away with increased tongue mobility, but improvement can also take time and continued work with a lactation consultant.

Benefits

  • Improved latch/infant breastfeeding
  • Better transfer of milk
  • Reduced maternal nipple pain
  • Possible improved speech/articulation in the child’s later years

Risks

  • Possible excessive bleeding at the incision site
  • Infection
  • Salivary gland trauma
  • Reattachment
  • Possibility of no improvement in latching/breastfeeding

Our Frenotomy Providers

Thomas “TJ” Anderson II, MD
Pediatrician
Allison Baynham, MD, IBCLC
Pediatrician + Lactation Consultant
Mary Egsieker, MD
Pediatrician
Peter Gyerko, MD
Pediatrician
Clotilde Johnson-Beale, MD, MPH
Pediatrician
Douglas Lincoln, MD, MPH
Pediatrician
Eman Lutfi, MD
Pediatrician
Jenny Malcom, MD
Pediatrician
Rachel Manzo, MD
Pediatrician
Kathleen Mooney, MD
Pediatrician
Stephanie Sari, MD
Pediatrician

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Suite 111
Beaverton, OR 97006

Phone (503) 531-3434
Fax (503) 645-4544

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7213 SW Hazel Fern Road
Tigard, OR 97224

Phone (503) 214-2064
Fax (503) 598-3600

Gresham
25050 SE Stark Street
Suite 300
Gresham, OR 97030

Phone (503) 667-8878
Fax (503) 667-0310

Johnson Creek
9300 SE 91st Avenue
Suite 200
Happy Valley, OR 97086

Phone (503) 261-1171
Fax (503) 253-5989

Happy Valley Sunnyside
16144 SE Happy Valley Town Center Drive
Suite 210
Happy Valley, OR 97086

Phone (503) 486-7040
Fax (503) 658-3377

NW Portland
1130 NW 22nd Avenue
Suite 320
Portland, OR 97210

Phone (503) 295-2546
Fax (503) 790-1248

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