Laser VS Scissors: Does It Really Matter
Parents often hesitate while visiting a practitioner or opting for a tongue-tie or lip-tie procedure for their child because of the confusion surrounding the available methods – scissors or laser. However, what is more vital than the method or equipment being used is the experience your practitioner holds. Understanding tongue-tie and lip-tie and how they can affect the infant as well as the mother is crucial in providing expert treatment. Further, parents should be made aware about the condition and its impact on breastfeeding, the child’s development, and other factors.
So, before you decide on which of the two methods is more ideal, make sure you find the right provider to treat the tongue-tie or lip-tie. Here’s how you can go about it:
Enquire about how often the practitioner has carried out the procedure
Enquiring at the clinic as to how often they carry out tongue-tie or lip-tie procedures for infants and children can help you, as parents, make a more informed decision on whether they are the right clinic for your child’s treatment. If they carry out the procedure on a regular basis and are able to answer all your queries and more, you are in a better position to weigh your choices and opt for the right practitioner.
Find out if they carry out posterior tongue-tie treatments
Many practitioners who have carried out tongue-tie procedures, whether using either scissors or laser technology, do not realise that the posterior component of the tongue can be equally affected by a tongue-tie. More often than not, a tongue-tie can be posterior which is not easily detected. Any practitioner who says otherwise or does not provide a posterior tongue-tie snipping will only ensure suboptimal or incomplete outcomes. Parents must ensure that the practitioner understands the importance of both anterior and posterior tongue-tie treatments and carries them out skillfully.
Understand the pros and cons of laser vs scissors
Both laser and scissor snipping procedures for tongue-tie can be effective when done correctly. However, they are both different in terms of the time taken to carry out the procedure, the possibility of complications, the time required for the treated area to heal, etc. For those who need a deeper understanding, here’s an overview to help you identify the differences:
Scissor tongue-tie or lip-tie procedure
Scissor snipping procedures are quicker than lasers and require no local anaesthesia in order to carry out the treatment. Often, these procedures are swiftly carried out when diagnosed, eliminating the need to delay treatment due to inaccessibility of equipment. During a scissor tongue-tie snipping procedure, parents or caregivers can stay with the baby in the treatment room unlike the protocols in a laser procedure. The scissor procedure may cause minimal bleeding at the site of treatment which generally stops by its own after some local pressure. These procedures generally do not require significant aftercare while the snipped site heals. However, the improvement and correction rate of the procedure is very high.
Scissor snipping is also more affordable and cost effective while providing the same results, making them convenient for a majority.
Laser procedure for tongue-tie or lip-tie
Compared to scissor procedure, laser tongue-tie procedures take longer in order to follow the guidelines required when carrying out laser procedures. However, Scissor Tongue tie snipping procedure requires no local anaesthesia and have minimal bleeding. There may be pain felt after the procedure requiring pain killers occasionally. Laser treatment is very expensive and is generally done by dentists , and is not covered by Medicare.
No matter what procedure you opt for, proper treatment will give you an effective outcome that is both safe and beneficial to your child in the long run. If you’re considering a list of practitioners or clinics for your child’s treatment, make sure you ask them the right questions and be informed of all that the procedure entails.
