Below is some information for adult patients about how our appointments work for patients over the age of 4. It works a little differently than baby's because the procedure is a little more complicated for all patients over the age of 4 due to a muscle that forms under the tongue at about that time. Please read the information below and let me know if you have any questions or if you would like the myo functional therapists as listed in option 1 or to schedule a consult first as listed in option 2.
Dr. Jesse is a pediatric dentist and has been doing tongue and lip tie releases for over 8 years now. Over 2 years ago he branched off from pediatric dentistry though and decided to dedicate his entire practice to tongue and lip tie release only now. As this is now the only thing he does now, this makes him one of only about 5 providers in the country who are specializing to this level.
Unlike ties in babies, adult tongue ties require myo-functional therapy before a release can be performed. This is sort of like physical therapy for the tongue because the tongue muscle in adults is so thick and tight, it needs to be loosened in order for Dr. Jesse to get a complete release. Because the myofunctional therapy will eventually be needed, we can offer our services in one of two ways.
1. We can give you the name and phone number of a myofunctional therapist near you (or one that can provide their services via skype/zoom) to seek their services before coming to us. Most of the myo functional therapists we work with can diagnose whether a surgical release will be needed or not. They will work with you on stretching the tongue muscle ahead of time so that once you come in to us it would require only one visit to do both the exam and procedure on the same day. This is a great option for people coming from afar or who do not want to come in to us more than once due to time constraints. The appointment with us in this case would take approximately 1 and ½ hours.
2. We can schedule you for a consultation only initially if you are not sure you have ‘tethered oral tissue’ (a tongue tie). This appointment will take approximately 1 hour. During this appointment, we will explain everything, get a thorough understanding of your case, answer all of your questions, and perform a thorough exam. If diagnosed, Dr. Jesse will then refer you to a myofunctional therapist to work on the stretching of the muscle for a few weeks.
Once the myo functional therapy is completed, your second appointment will be about 50 minutes long to perform the actual frenectomy (release procedure). This is much longer than the simple 30 second procedure we perform on baby's but necessary in order for you to get a complete release. In adults, when the procedure is done thoroughly and correctly, it is called a frenuloplasty. We use a technology called a ‘cold CO2 laser’, so it is the least invasive manner to perform this surgery with the highest level of results and fastest healing time.
Our fees are $150 for the exam and $1200 for the procedure itself. At times, in order to get the full function we are looking for, we need to do both a tongue and lip tie release but we don’t charge over and over again. We just charge the one fee to make sure we are taking care of everything to achieve full functionality. What we do to help you process your insurance is print out both the dental and medical claim forms, with the procedure codes already filled and and show you how you would fill in your name and address at the top to submit for reimbursement. So we don’t actually submit for insurance, you would pay us at the time of service but then we give you these insurance packages to mail off. We find that 90% of dental policies are covering this procedure, while only 10% of medical policies are covering it. The success with medical insurance is not as high only because there is usually a significant “Out of Network” medical deductible that needs to be met first (usually at least $1000 under medical policies) so although the medical insurance is covering it, most patients don’t end up with actual reimbursement….just payment towards their “Out of Network” deductible. It still may be worth submitting to medical though because we do see some families with a lower than normal “Out of Network” deductible and thus do see reimbursement through the medical policy.
Thank you,
Lonnie Witkoff, Office Manager
At Colorado Tongue Tie, our goal is to support the well-being of families by addressing restricted oral tissues (ROTs). We cater to patients across all ages, from infants to adults, with an understanding of the diverse needs at each life stage. Our treatments, utilizing cool laser technology, are designed to be as efficient and comfortable as possible. We're dedicated to providing a caring environment, recognizing that each patient's journey towards better oral health is unique.
At Colorado Tongue Tie, we provide a supportive environment for those experiencing symptoms associated with restricted oral tissues. Our commitment is to offer thorough education about these conditions, emphasizing their manageability with proper care. Our experienced team utilizes a multi-disciplinary approach and collaborates with patients to address tongue and lip ties, with a focus on individualized treatment plans. We're dedicated to supporting you throughout the process, combining professional care with educational resources to empower informed decisions.
In our frenectomy procedures, we utilize CO2 laser technology, which is superior in treating soft tissues, for its potential to contribute to a more comfortable treatment experience. While prioritizing precision, our approach with this technology is to support a smoother procedure, aiming to make it as comfortable as possible for our patients.
Colorado Tongue Tie recognizes that tongue ties can affect individuals at different stages of life. Our team is dedicated to providing diagnostic services, educational resources, and treatment options for patients of all ages with varying conditions. From breastfeeding challenges in infants to various oral health concerns in adults, we strive to offer supportive resources and care tailored to the unique needs of each patient.
"Wow! What an amazing place! We drove 2 hours to have our 5 month old daughter’s lip tie released because we heard such great things. It was all true! Dr. Jesse and his staff were extremely professional and beyond helpful. They are clearly experts in ties and made us feel very comfortable, answered all of our questions, and took their time. We came to find out our daughter also had a tongue tie. They also squeezed in our 2.5 year old who didn’t have an appointment because we wondered if she had the same problem, sure enough, she did. The procedure for our infant was quick, and I was able to nurse her right after. We’re going to follow up for our 2.5 year old. After care instructions were very clear, and Dr. Jesse even called that night to check on our baby. We couldn’t be more impressed!"
"Dr. Jesse was nothing short of amazing! He was so kind, gentle and understanding. He answered every question and concern we had very thoroughly with great knowledge about lip and tongue ties. We traveled 4 hours each way to be under his care and it was worth it. Our family highly recommends Dr. Jesse and his very caring staff."
"I am so happy we followed recommendations and use Dr Jesse and the amazing team. They were amazing using laser technology for my son’s numerous oral tie releases when he was just weeks old. The whole team does such a great job of making my son and our whole family welcome, and calm, and prepared. I wish they could be my dentist as an adult!"
"Dr. Jesse and the staff are amazing! My sweet 6 week old just had her tongue and lip tie repaired and they were so great! I’m glad I found them on the tongue and liptie support network because they were totally worth the drive!"
"Brought my 11 week old son in for a tongue and lip tie release we thought had been corrected by an ENT when he was just five days old, turns out it wasn’t! This place is amazing. I would recommend it to anyone. Kind and caring staff. Clean office. Amazing follow up and they were even able to get us in quickly since we are heading to day care in a couple weeks. The doctor even provided his cell phone number in case we need him over the Christmas holiday. Incredible! This place was wonderful!"
"This place is outstanding for all the important reasons. The entire staff is 100% focused on you during your time in the office. All of them!! I’ve never experience that level of service. They really listen to where you are at, have amazing fancy equipment to check your kid out, and make sure parents and children are comfortable. And most importantly, they do a great job. I was in the room for my sons tongue/lip laser procedure and they were done in 2-3 minutes tops. He recovered without much pain at all and we’ve been sleeping well ever since. Can’t recommend them enough."
At Colorado Tongue Tie, our compassionate team loves meeting new patients, and we would feel honored to be a part of your journey. Contact us to schedule an appointment today!