Kansas City Tongue Tie Co.

Kansas City Tongue Tie Co. Pediatric Dentists with a passion for helping babies, children, and adults with lip and tongue ties.

Just because a child can stick their tongue out doesn’t mean a tongue tie isn’t present 👅⁠Tongue ties aren’t always obvi...
03/25/2025

Just because a child can stick their tongue out doesn’t mean a tongue tie isn’t present 👅
⁠
Tongue ties aren’t always obvious—it’s not just about how it looks, it’s about how it functions.⁠

⁠ Feeding issues, speech delays, mouth breathing, and other challenges can all be signs of a functional restriction.⁠

⁠ That’s why it’s so important to see a provider who is experienced in properly diagnosing and treating tongue ties—they know what to look for beyond the surface.⁠
⁠
✅ Trust your gut.
✅ Get a thorough assessment.
⁠

🍁 Fall time means apple picking and hopefully lots of apple eating! But do you struggle with getting your child to eat “...
10/15/2024

🍁 Fall time means apple picking and hopefully lots of apple eating! But do you struggle with getting your child to eat “harder” more “chewy” foods? While you might chalk this up to a situation of distaste for particular fruits, vegetables, and meats, there could be a more impactful reason that stems from a lip or tongue tie. With these tethered tissues still in place, you may find that your little one has a harder time consuming solid foods.

🍎 The tongue plays many important roles during eating. It is responsible for moving the food from left to right so it can be properly chewed. When moving the food within the mouth the tongue must be able to create a bolus to move the food as a single unit. Once the food has been properly broken down the tongue must then move the food to the back of the mouth were a swallow can be initiated. Having a tongue tie can limit the movement of the tongue within the mouth. The severity of the tie will determine what movements can and cannot be done. When the tongue cannot properly move the food around, many children unconsciously learn at a young age that certain foods are difficult to eat. And so, they simply stop eating those foods.

👅 Below are some of the signs and symptoms of a tongue tie in a toddler:

⭐️ Preference for soft foods

⭐️ Preference for processed foods

⭐️Unwilling or unable to eat certain foods, especially if they require chewing

⭐️Child is a messy eater, with food often falling out of the mouth

⭐️Food gets stuck or pocketed in the cheeks

⭐️Gagging

⭐️History of difficulty breastfeeding (either pain in mother or failure to gain weight)

⭐️Dental difficulties - open bite, problems with tooth spacing

⭐️Speech and language difficulties - stuttering, avoiding speech, inability to make certain sounds

Tongue tie and torticollis are two separate conditions that can sometimes be present in the same child, but there may be...
10/10/2024

Tongue tie and torticollis are two separate conditions that can sometimes be present in the same child, but there may be a connection between them.

Tongue ties may contribute to torticollis because the short lingual frenulum can cause tension in the neck muscles. This tension can lead to muscle spasms and tightness, which may restrict neck movement. However, the exact relationship between the two conditions is not yet known.

Physical therapy can help with both tongue tie and torticollis. For torticollis, physical therapists can perform passive and active range-of-motion exercises, muscle strengthening activities, and myofascial release. For tongue tie, therapists can help with weakness of the tongue or oral muscles and help determine if a frenectomy would benefit your baby!

Tongue ties and food allergies share many of the same symptoms. Colic, gassiness, reflux, bloating, explosive poops and ...
10/01/2024

Tongue ties and food allergies share many of the same symptoms.

Colic, gassiness, reflux, bloating, explosive poops and belly pain can all be associated with Tongue Ties and Food Allergies.

With a tongue tie, it is the swallowing of excess air that can lead to all of these symptoms.
So how, as new mothers, are we do know what is causing our babies distress? Look for other signs or symptoms!

If you see or experience the following, think “Tongue Tie”: Painful latch, flattened ni***es, lip blisters, milk leaking out of the corner of baby’s mouth, and choking on milk.

If you see the following, think “Food Allergy”: Hives, rash, and eczema.

Before going on a very difficult “total elimination diet,” we urge you to seek a professional evaluation by a trained IBCLC, pediatrician, and a professional trained in diagnosing and treating tongue ties such as a pediatric dentist, skilled pediatrician, or ENT.

We are here to help!

In the world of tethered oral tissues, size really doesn’t matter!“Small ties” can cause BIG problems.“Big ties” may hav...
09/18/2024

In the world of tethered oral tissues, size really doesn’t matter!

“Small ties” can cause BIG problems.
“Big ties” may have zero associated functional restrictions.

Function is key and holds more weight than appearance alone. If you had a provider come to a conclusion on treatment after taking a “peek” in your child’s mouth without a full assessment of symptoms and an in-depth physical evaluation, it might be time to search for a second opinion!

Function should be evaluated by a trained professional based on the stage of life your child is in. Professionals such as lactation consultants and myofunctional therapists look beyond the physical attribute of a lip or tongue tie and address the functional limitations. Not all ties have to result in a frenectomy!

We love walking parents through both the diagnosis of tethered oral tissues and the pros and cons of treatment versus no treatment! We would love to meet you!

🫶🏻We care because we have been there!❓Did you know that both Dr. Becca and Dr. Casey’s children struggled with symptoms ...
08/06/2024

🫶🏻We care because we have been there!

❓Did you know that both Dr. Becca and Dr. Casey’s children struggled with symptoms from tethered oral tissues?

👅 Even with our background knowledge of the condition and the procedure, we had LOTS of questions and even some reservations along the way. We made it our mission to learn as much as we can about the ever-changing topic and to be a place where mothers feel heard and know we have their child’s best interest at heart. We want families to know they can ask ALL of the questions, have ALL of the reservations, and instead of being judged—we can guide them to avenues that will help them to make the best decision for their child and family.​

👶🏼 Three of our children had their ties revised in the first weeks of life, one had his tie revised when he was 9 months old, and one of our children never had their ties released. We know there are many ways to address oral ties and we want to help you find the answers that best suits your needs. We can go over the pros and cons of early treatment vs delayed treatment vs no treatment because we have been there!

⭐️ We look forward to meeting you!

👅 Countless times we have heard “I was told my child’s tongue was ‘fine’ and had no tie!” When we ask how they were eval...
08/01/2024

👅 Countless times we have heard “I was told my child’s tongue was ‘fine’ and had no tie!” When we ask how they were evaluated we hear “they looked in the mouth and lifted up the tongue” or “my child was able to stick their tongue out past their lower lip.”

❤️ It’s ok, many of us have been in the same boat. We don’t fault other practitioners for their training on identification of tethered oral tissues. It is a topic that is constantly evolving and glossed over in many educational pathways. These practitioners care deeply about your child and are not giving you this advice to harm your child.

👩‍⚕️ Physicians, dentists, lactation consultants, chiropractors and therapists that specialize in tethered oral tissues take many courses POST grad to deepen their knowledge on the topic. It is truly a passion of many and a group effort to bring this expertise to you and your child!

🚩 That being said: beware!! Everyone has tethered oral tissues to some extent and many are functioning wonderfully. Just because a tie is present, it does not mean it needs to be ‘cut’. Working with a team of professionals that identifies ties, evaluates restrictions/symptoms, offers pre and post therapy, and discusses the risks/benefits of treatment versus no treatment is KEY to good outcomes and avoiding over-treatment.

⭐️ We have such a great network of providers in the KC area that we would (and have) trust with our own babies! We love working with all of them to bring the best outcomes to people of all ages!

❤️ 🤍 💙 ❤️ 🤍 💙 ❤️ 🤍 💙 ❤️ 🤍 💙 From all of us at KC Tongue Tie Co., we want to wish you all an amazing Independence Day! Th...
07/03/2024

❤️ 🤍 💙 ❤️ 🤍 💙 ❤️ 🤍 💙 ❤️ 🤍 💙

From all of us at KC Tongue Tie Co., we want to wish you all an amazing Independence Day!

Thank you to all who have made our freedom possible and all those who continue to protect it!

Our offices will be closed until Monday, July 8th so our team can celebrate with our friends and families!

❤️ 🤍 💙 ❤️ 🤍 💙 ❤️ 🤍 💙 ❤️ 🤍 💙

🚩 Read that again!⭐️ It is so important to work with a team of trusted professionals to assess any tethered oral tissues...
05/14/2024

🚩 Read that again!

⭐️ It is so important to work with a team of trusted professionals to assess any tethered oral tissues and determine if treatment is needed. This should include a detailed history of symptoms. A tongue tie revision should NEVER be diagnosed/performed on appearance alone.

❤️ We are here to help you along this journey. Not only do we do the physical release but we educate you on the actual tie and the possible effects on overall health. We work with outside therapists and can refer you to them for pre and/or post release work. It takes a village—and we LOVE our village.

👅 At KC Tongue Tie Co., we are dedicated to providing you with the knowledge and expertise that elicits the best outcomes!

🙌🏻 THIS is why we love what we do! This procedure can truly change lives! 👅 Part of the treatment plan starts and ends w...
05/02/2024

🙌🏻 THIS is why we love what we do! This procedure can truly change lives!

👅 Part of the treatment plan starts and ends with therapy by an outside professional! We love helping our patients find their right fit for this aspect of their treatment. Collaboration is key! 🔑

💥 Thank you for continuing to let us be a part of your lip or tongue tie journey!

1️⃣ Speech Problems – While not all difficulties with speech are related to tongue ties, there are certain sounds that c...
04/23/2024

1️⃣ Speech Problems – While not all difficulties with speech are related to tongue ties, there are certain sounds that children can struggle with if the tongue is tied. If tied, children may have difficulties with sounds that need the tongue to touch the roof of the mouth – such as the t, d, n, l, s and z sounds or sounds like arch off the floor of the mouth – such as the ‘r’ sounds. With close collaboration with a trained speech pathologist you can help determine if your child could benefit from a tongue tie release if therapy isn’t 100% successful.

2️⃣ Poor Oral Hygiene – If the lip is tied tightly and the front teeth are unable to be sufficiently cleaning by tongue or toothbrush, you may notice an increase of plaque or cavities on your child’s front teeth. The tongue also contributes to oral hygiene by rubbing/cleaning the outside surfaces of our teeth during and after eating. If a tongue is tied and the tongue is unable to reach around the teeth, you will notice increase plaque accumulation which can lead to cavities.

3️⃣ Difficulties swallowing – The tongue plays a crucial role in your child’s ability to eat different foods. Children with a tied tongue may avoid crunchy foods and lean more towards softer foods that are easily swallowed without ample chewing. This is a protective mechanism so they don’t swallow food whole and end up choking.

4️⃣ Mouth breathing – This is a big one for the overall health of your child. Untreated tongue ties can lead to structural and functional changes in the craniofacial-respiratory complex and can impact sleep throughout the lifespan. Tongue-ties and low tongue resting postures often lead to or exacerbate mouth breathing.

💥 There are many other signs and symptoms of lip and tongue ties in you and your child! If you are questioning a possible lip or tongue tie in your child, we would love to help! We work with many professionals specialized in therapy related to tethered oral tissues and we would love to point you in the right direction. If a release is part of the necessary treatment, then Dr. Casey and Dr. Becca will help walk you through what that step would look like!

✨ Meet Dr. Becca ✨ Dr. Rebecca Ferns, originally from St. Louis, Missouri, began her dental career in 2015 when she prac...
04/11/2024

✨ Meet Dr. Becca ✨

Dr. Rebecca Ferns, originally from St. Louis, Missouri, began her dental career in 2015 when she practiced as a general dentist in Lawrence, Kansas. Working in a public health environment around many children, she realized her passion for pediatrics. Following her pediatric dental residency, she returned to the Kansas City area to continue her career.

Dr. Becca received her Bachelors of Science at Westmont College then received her Doctorate of Dental Surgery at The University of Missouri – Kansas City. She then went on to complete her Pediatric Dental residency at The University of Southern California Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry.

Dr. Ferns found her passion in treating lip and tongue ties once she realized the overwhelming need in the area for providers that families could feel comfortable discussing their nursing difficulties with – another mother who has been through the same thing.

Her bubbly, personable manner instantly puts patients and parents at ease as she educates them on lip ties/tongue ties and the effects revisions can have on struggling children.

When she isn’t in the office, Dr. Ferns enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. She also likes to run, cook, and ride along in the golf cart while her husband golfs.

Address

10058 Woodland Road
Lenexa, KS
66220

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