Dr. Lori Cockley has a special interest and advanced training in the
diagnosis and treatment of TOTs (tethered oral tissues), commonly known
as "tongue-ties" and "lip ties." She is a member of the International
Affiliation of Tongue-tie Professionals (IATP) and has trained
nationally and internationally with some of the most renowned names in
the field. She is a member of several internet tongue-tie forums and the
co-author of an article published in the Winter 2015 edition of the Journal of the American Orthodontic Society describing the
significance of tongue-ties in orthodontics.
Between 4% and 15%
of children are born with tongue-ties. This means their tongues have a
congenital abnormality characterized by an excessively short, tight
membrane of tissue (frenum) connecting the tongue to the floor of the
mouth. These vary greatly in degrees of severity but may cause
impingement of mobility and function of the tongue. This can cause
anything from moderate inconveniences (e.g., inability to lick an ice
cream cone), to more severe impairments (e.g., inability to breastfeed
in infancy and the development of significant speech impediments).
A diagnosis of TOTs is based on symptoms as well as clinical appearance.
Some TOTs are obvious, while others, such as posterior tongue-ties, require
careful examination to detect. A frenectomy is a delicate surgical procedure to release these
restrictions. It is done with a diode laser with little to no anesthetic, no
pain, and typically no bleeding. The procedure takes only a few moments.
While Dr. Cockley performs these frenectomy procedures on patients of all
ages, she is one of the few practitioners in the area who is experienced in
treating infants as young as 24 hours old. For your convenience, consultations and procedures may be done at the
same visit. Parents are welcome to stay in the room during the procedure if
requested. Immediately after the procedure, our comfortable, private
breastfeeding area is available for you to bond with your baby.
