Bodywork Before Frenectomy: A Crucial Step

If you’re considering a frenectomy for your baby, you’re probably already doing your homework. You’ve read about how ties can affect nursing, digestion, sleep, and even speech later on. But there’s one powerful piece of the puzzle that often gets overlooked—and that’s bodywork.

We’re talking about chiropractic care, craniosacral therapy, and myofascial release. These aren’t just nice add-ons—they can make a real, clinical difference in how effective a frenectomy is and how well your baby heals afterward.

As a biological dentist who works closely with lactation consultants and bodyworkers, I’ve seen time and again how this integrative approach helps babies (and their parents!) thrive.

Why Tongue and Lip Ties Are About More Than Just the Tissue

Tongue and lip ties aren’t just a surface-level problem. They’re part of a bigger picture involving muscle tone, fascia (the connective tissue that wraps around everything), posture, and even the baby’s nervous system.

When a baby is born with a restriction like a tongue tie, their body starts to compensate from day one—by tightening certain muscles, altering head position, or favoring one side. These compensations become patterns that can linger long after the release… unless we help unwind them.

Bodywork as the First Step in the Release

Here’s the way the amazing bodyworkers I collaborate with explain it: they’re helping to “unwind” the baby’s fascia—manually releasing tension and restrictions—so that by the time we do the frenectomy, the only thing left to release is the actual frenum.

It’s a powerful image, and it’s exactly what we see clinically. The body is already doing the work of letting go, realigning, and recalibrating. The frenectomy then becomes the final step in that release, not the first.

The Clinical Benefits of Bodywork Before a Frenectomy

Here’s what we often see when infants receive bodywork before their release procedure:

• Improved latch and feeding patterns even before the frenectomy—because the baby’s tension is already being addressed.
  
  
• Greater mobility of the tongue or lip, making it easier for us to fully assess and treat the restriction.
  
  
• Better integration of the new range of motion post-release, meaning fewer complications like reattachment or persistent symptoms.
  
  
• Calmer babies and moms during the procedure—and quicker recovery afterward.
  
  

This Isn’t Woo—It’s Biology

As a dentist who used to follow the conventional playbook, I used to be skeptical of anything that didn’t involve drills or scalpels. But after facing my own health challenges and seeing how beautifully the body can heal when we support it holistically, I’ve changed my tune.

Now, I believe dentistry should be safe, whole-body focused, and aligned with how we were made to flourish.

That’s why we always encourage a team-based approach—dentist, lactation consultant, and bodyworker working together—so your baby gets the best possible outcome.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a parent navigating this journey, know this: you’re doing amazing. And you don’t have to figure it all out alone.

We’re here to support you with evidence-based care, honest conversations, and a deep respect for how smart and adaptive your baby’s body truly is.

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