Teamwork at the Heart of Tongue Tie Care: Why Collaboration Leads to Better Outcomes
“Teamwork makes the dream work” - and nowhere is that truer than in managing oral ties. Effective assessment and treatment rely on collaboration between skilled professionals, ensuring families receive comprehensive care and the best possible outcomes. A strong multidisciplinary team - including lactation consultants, bodywork therapists, and experienced doctors or dentists - guides parents through every stage of the journey, from assessment to release and recovery.
As a GP with a special interest in oral ties, dedicated to their diagnosis and management, the importance of teamwork is clear every day in practice. If you suspect a tongue or lip tie, or if a health professional mentions a possible restriction - no matter how minor it seems - seek a proper assessment. Feeding challenges or signs of oral restriction always warrant expert evaluation.
The IBCLC: Feeding and Latch Expertise
International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) are the cornerstone of early assessment. They identify and manage feeding difficulties, observing latch quality, milk transfer, and tongue function. Their expertise helps rule out non-tie issues, support parents with practical feeding techniques, and guide care both before and after a release. Ongoing follow-up from an IBCLC ensures that progress is supported and sustainable.
Bodyworkers: Optimising Function and Recovery
Chiropractors, osteopaths, and physiotherapists play a crucial role in addressing other potential causes of feeding difficulties and restriction, as well as the physical effects of oral restriction. By releasing tension in the neck, jaw, and oral muscles, bodywork improves feeding comfort, supports healing, and enhances function post-release. Their whole-body approach complements the procedural aspects of care, especially in babies with significant postural or muscular tightness.
Doctors and Dentists: Skilled Releases Matter
The actual release of the tongue tie, often called a frenotomy or frenectomy, should be performed by a practitioner with experience in paediatric oral ties, such as a doctor or dentist who regularly works with infants and collaborates with a multi-disciplinary team. Experience and exposure to a wide range of cases are more important than titles; practitioners who regularly treat tongue ties can provide safer, more effective outcomes and the good ones will consult closely with IBCLCs and bodywork experts when needed, for this holistic care.
Parents: The Key to Ongoing Success
Parental involvement is the backbone of effective tongue tie management. Ongoing aftercare, exercises, follow-ups and sometimes feeding retraining, require time and commitment, but the results - a smoother feeding journey, improved function, and happier parent-child bonding - are worth it.
When in Doubt, Seek Experience and Second Opinions
Even among professionals, tongue tie cases can be complex. If advice or recommendations don’t feel right, seek a second opinion from an experienced provider. Every baby’s anatomy and needs differ, so finding a trusted team that feels like the right fit is vital. Practitioners with broad experience in oral ties are best placed to offer safe, individualized care.
For families on the Gold Coast seeking tongue tie care, look for teams that work collaboratively across disciplines, with proven experience and strong community recommendations. With the right guidance, even a challenging start can become a positive journey - helping your baby feed, grow, and thrive.
Tongue Tie Care Pathway
