Providing gentle tongue tie releases in Los Angeles
Providing gentle Tongue-Tie releases in Los Angeles
At Tongue Ties with Love, we know what it is to be surprised by the need for a tongue tie surgery.
We’ve been in your shoes.
Caring and Loving Frenectomies
Our practice is 100% dedicated to infant tongue and lip tie releases in Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley.
Dr. Bethany is a Tongue-Tie expert and has spent years refining her process to guarantee the most comfort and improved outcomes for her patients.
If you need tongue tie support, Dr. Bethany’s office is a warm, caring environment where you can openly discuss concerns and get the answers you need for your baby’s health.
24/7 Text Support
Going through the tongue tie process with your baby can feel overwhelming, which is why we offer 24/7 text support when you need it.
Dr. Bethany encourages you to text her if you need anything following the procedure.
Transparent Pricing and Insurance Reimbursement Guidance
We provide parents clear cost information on the tongue-tie procedure from the start.
Our flat rate fee includes everything (including multiple ties). You can trust that you’ll receive the highest quality care along with a fair price.
The office provides guidance and documents for insurance reimbursement. Our clients have reported receiving more dental insurance reimbursements than from other providers in the Los Angeles area.
It is an honor to work with families as they welcome their baby home. Being a new parent is life changing, overwhelming, chaotic, humbling, and beautiful all at the same time.
When you choose to work with us, we recognize the challenges you may face and are here to guide you through every step of the process, offering support and understanding along the way.
Tongue-Tie Expertise Near You
Serving Los Angeles, Pasadena, Altadena, the San Gabriel Valley and the Crescenta Valley
Our office is conveniently located in Altadena, CA and is a quick trip from Pasadena, Los Angeles and La Canada. Dr. Bethany is a Dentist specializing in cold laser infant tongue tie releases.
Dr. Bethany operates out of Twenty28 Dentistry which she and her husband Dr. Craig Cheng founded in 2019.
Do you think your baby has a tongue tie?
When a baby has a tongue-tie, the first thing you may notice are feeding challenges.
When breastfeeding, your baby may have difficulty latching and transferring milk efficiently. This can leave a mother with damaged nipples, breast pain and poor breast drainage. A tongue-tie affects a baby’s ability to nurse/gain weight and may also trigger reflux or colic symptoms.
Tongue-Tie Symptoms include:
Inability to latch deeply at the breast
Clicking or popping sounds when feeding at the breast or bottle
Chewing or grinding nipples to express milk (instead of rhythmic sucking)
Lip blisters
Mouth breathing while sleeping
Difficulty gaining weight
Prolonged feedings
If you notice any tongue-tie symptoms in your baby, or experience pain while breastfeeding, it is crucial to have them assessed by a frenectomy specialist.
Signs your Baby may have a Tongue Tie
At Tongue Ties with Love we are here for you.
If you suspect your baby may have an oral restriction we encourage you to give us a call to discuss it.
Our 15 minute discovery calls are free and an easy way to determine if you should invest in an evaluation and to see if Dr. Bethany is the provider you want on your care team.
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Benefits of a frenectomy (tongue tie release)
After tongue tie release, babies have more range of motion of their tongue that will give the opportunity to develop a positive functional foundation for feeding. Over the course of this leads to functional health benefits like:
Breathing
Airway development
Nervous system
Posture
Alignment
Sleep
Sensory
Developmental milestones
Solid food feeding
Speech development
Oral growth and development
And so much more!
*video created with love by Lauren Archer of Love of a Little One
As a first time mom, it was a little scary needing to have a tongue tie release on a new baby but Dr. Bethany made us feel so comfortable and supported.
She takes care in the education and treatment she gives.
We are so grateful to have had our breastfeeding journey turn around in such a positive way.
Thank you!! 💕
Dr. Bethany is wonderful! She is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about her work in the field of infant tongue ties. Dr. Bethany did a thorough assessment and helped me to make an informed decision on doing a revision to improve tongue mobility. She has a strong network of local professionals that she works with to help families receive proper comprehensive care, from lactation consultants to occupational therapists and more. Her staff is friendly and the office is very inviting. Highly recommend to anyone who is looking for a tongue tie specialist!
Dr. Bethany was such a rock for us in our early postpartum days, her openness and compassion was so appreciated in our delicate state, 4 days postpartum. She walked us through our son’s condition and treated him with so much care and tenderness.
It paid off to get the release done! Our son is thriving and his tongue is super mobile to this day at three months, and we were fortunate to avoid some of the real perils of an undiagnosed tongue tie.
FAQs about Tongue Tie
How old should a baby be for a frenectomy?
The optimal time to have the tongue tie procedure is when it works best for your family.
An infant frenectomy is usually completed within a few weeks of birth and as early as 1 day old.
Deciding when to move forward with your baby’s tongue tie release will really depend on the doctor’s evaluation, your collaborative care team and your goals.
You should feel supported and cared for every step of the way.
Tongue Ties with Love is a warm, caring environment with an infant frenectomy specialist who will talk through all your questions and worries. Dr. Bethany is there to guide you before and after the release.
Does a frenectomy hurt the baby?
A laser frenectomy vaporizes the tissue and is relatively pain-free.
The LightScalpel CO2 laser results in minimized bleeding, less swelling and less trauma to the tissues. It also has inherent sanitizing properties so the risk of infection is very low. With the laser tongue-tie release, babies heal faster and have been shown to have less post-operative pain than other methods.
The traditional method of frenectomy involves a scalpel or a pair of scissors to cut tissue. Ultimately, the way the frenectomy is done will determine how much discomfort a baby might feel.
At Tongue Ties with Love we believe that frenectomies should be done as gently as possible. We use the LightScalpel CO2 laser for the procedure and ensure the area is completely numb by applying a safe numbing gel beforehand to minimize any discomfort for the baby. Because the laser method is so gentle, babies can feed at the breast or bottle immediately afterwards.
What’s the risk of infection?
The risk of infection in a frenectomy performed with a CO2 laser is very low. The sanitizing effect of the laser reduces the chance of infection and promotes faster recovery.
Even with that in mind, it is extremely important that you maintain good hand hygiene whenever you perform the post-release wound stretches. We recommend keeping nails short and washing your hands with soap and water prior to putting fingers in your baby’s mouth. You can wear latex gloves if it feels more comfortable, but it is not necessary.
How much does a tongue-tie surgery cost?
Frenectomy prices vary by method and provider.
At Tongue Ties with Love we are proud to offer the most competitive and transparent pricing for infant tongue-tie releases.
We know the LAST thing you want with a newborn at home is to wrestle pricing estimates from doctor’s offices and insurance companies. We provide parents with clear cost information on the tongue-tie procedure from the start so that your time can be spent bonding with your new baby.
You can trust that you’ll receive the highest quality care along with a fair price.
Our rates can be found here (link to services page) along with details about the procedure, recovery, and follow-ups.
What happens if we wait to do the frenectomy?
A tongue-tie is a condition that unfortunately does not improve with time. The lingual frenulum does not stretch as a child grows into adulthood and can create a host of potential issues aside from breastfeeding. The tongue plays an important role in the body and when it is restricted it can lead to altered oral anatomy, such as smaller jaws, crowded teeth, and narrow airways.
The biggest issue with an unaddressed tongue-tie is the restriction in range of motion. With a tongue restriction your baby will be forced to compensate to achieve normal function. These compensatory actions can result in, among other things, body tension, issues with breathing, speech and solid food eating.
The reason many parents choose to have a frenectomy done early is to avoid issues later on. Older children may require more therapy prior to and following the procedure including chiropractic, myofunctional or occupational therapy.
It’s invaluable to have a trusted doctor to discuss your options with. A frenectomy can be done at any time and if you choose to hold off, our team creates an interim care plan for you and offers support and guidance on managing the restriction.
Collaborative care model
Our focus is getting your baby the best care possible (and you the best support!)
To that end, Dr. Bethany works closely with your support team, including lactation consultants, pediatricians, pediatric chiropractors, and more.
This collaborative approach allows everyone to stay connected, work together, and create a care plan tailored just for you. We believe that every case is unique, and by pooling our expertise across different areas, we can provide the most personalized and effective care with the best frenectomy procedure outcomes.
We want to ensure you feel listened to, supported, and empowered through the process, with all the information you need to make the best choices for you and your little one.
A warm and caring approach
Having been through this herself, Dr. Bethany has made her office a warm, family-friendly environment.
This is a space where you can receive guidance and share any feelings or concerns that come up.
She is always ready to listen and support your goals without pushing you toward anything that doesn’t resonate with you.
The Tongue Ties with Love story
After going through her own tongue tie journey with her daughter, Dr. Bethany set out to create an experience filled with support, empowerment, love, and care for families considering a frenectomy.
Credentials and Affiliations
Dr. Bethany is the only doctor in the San Gabriel Valley that has completed an invite only Mini Residency program with The Breathe Institute under the guidance of Dr. Chelsea Pinto to help elevate her skills and the care she provides. Dr. Bethany is passionate about continuing education and pursues opportunities to enhance her skills often.
She is a part of the following organizations and certifications: