Signs that you may be suffering from oral ties or restrictions:

Infants

Are you experiencing frustration, latch issues, or pain while breastfeeding? Are you and your baby having difficulty with bottle feeding? Is the baby gassy, experiencing reflux, or frequently spitting up all the time? Are you suffering from plugged ducts or mastitis?

These are all potential signs of oral ties or restrictions! 

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Toddlers, Teens, Adults

Can you touch the roof of your mouth with your tongue when opening widely? Are you struggling with sleep issues, food texture issues, speech challenges, recurrent ear infections,  sinus or upper respiratory infections, hyperactivity, or inattention?

These are all potential signs of oral ties or restrictions!

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What are oral ties?

There are three types of oral ties: tongue, lip, and buccal (cheek). Tongue and lip ties refer to an abnormally tight band of tissue (frenum) that can restrict movement. It is a complex set of muscles which are crucial for oral function, facial development, and airway health. These frenula can be found throughout your body and only pose an issue when they become too constrictive to reduce the necessary range of motion or movement.

Once identified, if the abnormal frenum is not released, it can affect future facial growth, airway health, speech, feeding, nursing, neurological development, attention, breath, and sleep quality.

These restrictive bands of tissue play a more significant role in overall growth and development by delaying or preventing the integration of primitive reflexes. Primitive reflexes are fundamental to an invisibility to feed effectively and develop oral motor skills.

These reflexes may not function properly if one or more restrictions exist, resulting in delayed cognitive development and physical challenges. 

Our approach… it’s all connected

In our practice, we understand that the body is an interconnected system. While a frenectomy can be valuable in addressing oral restrictions, they are most effective when integrated into a holistic treatment plan. Complementary therapies such as Naturopathic Adjustment Techniques, Cranial Facial Release, Craniosacral therapy, and oral therapy (feeding, speech, jaw therapy) support reflex integration, optimize nervous system functions, and enhance overall outcomes.

By addressing the root causes of feeding and airway issues through a multidisciplinary approach, we aim to improve not just oral-motor function but also broader aspects of health and development. An oral release is not a “magic bullet”—it’s part of a comprehensive strategy to support airway health, neurological development and function, and whole-body healing.

Below are a few aspects of our multidisciplinary approach to airway health.

Ensuring complete functional integration

Coordination of Breathing, Sucking, and Swallowing

Uncovering Gastro Intestinal Issues

Addressing Underlying Primitive Reflex Retention

Assessing Compensatory Habits

Identifying Emotional and Behavioral Factors

Ensuring Complete Functional Integration

Even after a frenectomy, the muscles and oral structures must learn to function optimally. A baby, child or adult may require therapy to retrain their oral motor patterns, as the brain and muscles must adapt to the new range of motion.

Coordination of Breathing, Sucking, and Swallowing

Feeding requires precise coordination of these movements. Early feeding reflexes form the foundation for speech, chewing, and swallowing skills. While a release can improve tongue mobility, it may not address broader muscular skeletal coordination or integration issues, especially in adults.

Addressing Underlying Primitive Reflex Retention

Primitive reflexes like rooting and sucking strongly influence feeding. If these reflexes are retained or poorly integrated due to earlier restrictions, a frenectomy alone won’t address the neurological aspect of feeding or other difficulties. 

Uncovering Gastrointestinal Issues

Delayed gastrointestinal development or conditions like reflux can exacerbate feeding problems, making it difficult to identify the tie as the sole cause. We address underlying issues and possible root causes to promote overall health. 

Assessing Compensatory Habits

Compensatory habits, such as jaw clenching or inefficient sucking patterns, can be developed as a way for the body to function with a restriction. These habits often persist post-release and require therapy to correct. Identifying and addressing these habits ensures they won’t continue to hinder development or healing. 

Identifying Emotional and Behavioral Factors

Feeding aversions or anxieties related to discomfort or past struggles may remain even after the physical restriction is released. Addressing these requires a holistic approach, often involving oral motor therapy.

Benefits of our approach

We take a holistic and patient-focused approach to care, recognizing that a frenectomy is just one piece of the puzzle in achieving whole-body health. Instead of stopping at the release, we offer extended support and integrate complementary therapies to help retrain oral-motor patterns, optimize reflex integration, and improve nervous system function.  Our team collaborates with specialists like lactation consultants and oral therapists, ensuring a tailored, multidisciplinary plan for each patient. With a deep understanding of retained primitive reflexes and their role in oral restrictions, we go beyond the symptoms to address root causes, fostering lasting, meaningful improvements for children and adults alike.

 

  • Holistic, patient-centered care
  • Whole body, root-cause approach that fosters lasting change and benefit
  • Collaborative care with a treatment support team 
  • Expertise in optimizing outcomes for both children and adults 
  • Deep understanding of how retained primitive reflexes play a role in oral ties
Schedule Your Appointment

Our Process

Continuity in support and education- From the initial whole body exam through two follow-up visits, we are available for text and phone support! You are not in this alone! You’ll also have an opportunity to skip the waitlist for our subscription health care! We offer continued care in both an as-needed and monthly subscription model.

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1. Initial Consult

During this 60-minute assessment, we evaluate oral, cranial, and facial health while discussing any symptoms affecting you or your baby. We specialize in primitive reflex and vagus nerve assessment, which plays a key role in relaxation, digestion, and overall regulation. Our evaluation also screens for oral restrictions, musculoskeletal tightness, GI discomfort, reflux, and nursing issues. This comprehensive approach helps ensure proper development, function, and well-being.

  • Airway screening
  • Oral restriction screening
  • Cranial health and musculoskeletal tightness
  • Neurological and developmental screening
  • G.I., reflux and nursing issues
  • Primitive reflex and vagus nerve assessment
  • Older children and adults may receive a pre-procedure treatment plan including myofunctional therapy and cranial facial therapy
2. Procedure
We prioritize comfort, safety, and minimal trauma during the procedure using a CO2 laser, which reduces discomfort, promotes healing, and lowers infection risk. Babies receive gentle cranial sacral therapy (CST) during the release to relax the tissues and nervous system, aiding mobility recovery. Breastfeeding is encouraged immediately after to soothe the baby and support healing, with lactation support provided to help with the new latch. The procedure is available in-office or as a concierge service in your home.
3. Post-procedure Support/Follow Up
We ensure you and your child are well supported through recovery with 1:1 support for all oral exercises and two post-procedure follow-ups in addition to reassesment on all initial screenings. During both follow-up visits, we go beyond simply ensuring that mouth exercises are performed effectively and that the wound is healing well. Your baby will also receive Cranial Sacral Therapy (CST) and Sacral occipital technique (SOT) to support their healing on a musculoskeletal level and support feeding coordination. We also perform additional assessments including neurological and developmental, vagus nerve response, airway issue screening, feeding coordination, and progress. These visits usually last about 20 minutes and we check how the wound is healing, perform the assessments, and ensure we answer any questions you may have.

Full List of Symptoms

For Moms

  • Painful nursing
  • Creased or flattened nipples (indicating shallow latch)
  • Plugged ducts or mastitis
  • Trouble getting a deep latch with baby despite proper nursing positioning
  • Decreased milk supply
  • Depression, stress, or anxiety around breastfeeding or bottle-feeding struggles

For Babies

  • Poor or shallow latch
  • Reflux/frequent spit ups
  • Mouth breathing
  • Consistently gassy and fussy
  • Clicking or smacking noise when eating
  • Laryngomalacia (Barking cough, upper respiratory system, and airway dysfunction)
  • Frustration when eating
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Prolonged breastfeeding or bottle-feeding sessions
  • Poor weight gain or “failure to thrive”
  • Dribbling milk out of mouth when eating
  • MARCoNS (antibiotic-resistant nasal bacteria), allergies, or inflammation

For Adults & Kids

  • Mouth breathing during and/or at night Snoring
  • Teeth grinding (bruxism)
  • Frequent migraines, headaches, shoulder or neck pain
  • Recurrent ear infections or multiple rounds of ear tubes needed
  • Frequent sinus issues and upper respiratory infections
  • Hyperactivity or inattention (often misdiagnosed as ADHD, ADD)
  • Restless sleep (movement, strange sleeping positions, multiple wakes)
  • Bedwetting
  • Crowded teeth (malocclusion), vaulted palate, crooked teeth
  • Jaw joint (TMJ) issues (popping, clicking, or pain)
  • Speech delay, hard to understand, mumbling
  • Slow eating or taking a long time to finish a meal
  • Picky eating especially textures (pureed foods, meat)
  • Choking or gagging on food or liquids
    Packing food into cheeks
  • Enlarged tonsils and/or adenoids
  • Prolonged pacifier use, thumb or finger sucking
  • MARCoNS (antibiotic-resistant nasal bacteria), allergies, or inflammation

Frequently Asked Questions

General

Do you take insurance?
We do not accept insurance. We aspire and are dedicated to the concierge-like model. Due to spending time with the whole family, it doesn’t fit in the insurance model. Payment in full will be paid at the time of treatment. For those wishing to use insurance please let us know and we will be happy to provide you with a superbill that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement for the visit. We do not contract with or bill your insurance directly but many of our procedures are covered under insurance plans. If you wish to submit a superbill to your insurance, please call your insurance company and check your benefits before coming to the office. Please note that even if Dr. Ghormley is in your plan, there is no guarantee for coverage.
How do I schedule an appointment or consultation?
You can schedule via text or reach out to us via email at hi@drjghormley.com.
What do the treatments cost?
We treat each patient individually to ensure they receive personalized care and treatment for their specific condition. After your initial evaluation with Dr. Ghormley, you will be provided with a treatment plan which will include the total cost for all procedures discussed before we schedule you for treatment.

Frenectomy

What is a Co2 frenectomy?

A Co2 laser stands for carbon dioxide laser technology. It uses a laser beam to remove thin layers of skin. The laser beam penetrates the skin and creates a microscopic area of thermal damage. The skin heals by producing new collagen which restores the skin’s elasticity. The Co2 laser offers minimal discomfort, promotes easier healing, and reduces the risk of infection more effectively than traditional frenectomy procedures performed with scissors.

Does it hurt?
Because no anesthesia is used during this procedure for babies, we want them breathing and crying to know they are fully engaged in their bodies. The initial onset of the laser does sting but numbs the laser area up to 5 hours.
Does it take long?
Typically, the procedure take approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
Can kids “grow out” of an oral tie without treatment?
Research shows that oral ties become restricted overtime when they are not addressed early on. They can present with neurological development challenges.
What happens during the procedure?
Babies – they are gently swaddled and wrapped. Their eyes are covered and the clinical assistant will do gentle CST while the provider performs the release in order to help the tissues and nervous system relax.
Older kids and adults – We give local anesthetics topically and injection to take tension off the tissue being released. The older patient is in a reclining table/chair for comfort.
We find that soft tissue manipulation like myofascial release along with adjustments & laser frenectomy has helped significantly in letting people gain more mobility in their upper MSK system.
What can happen if we don’t correct oral ties now?
In addition to supporting a mother and child’s breastfeeding journey, treating oral ties as a baby helps set them up for a lifetime of proper oral growth, digestive health, musculoskeletal development, and breathing through functional airway optimization. Untreated oral ties restrict growth of the jaw and oral developmental functions which initiates a degeneration process which can lead to teeth grinding, TMJ issues, airway dysfunction, neck pain, headaches and more.

Schedule Your Consultation Today

Book an initial consultation to learn more about our Baby Got Bite! program and see if you or your child are a candidate.

Please provide your full name, contact information, and a brief description of  why you’re interested in this program and our team will reach out to you!