Our Pediatric Dentists
Our Office
Pediatric Dentistry
Understanding Pediatric Dentistry
Lip & Tongue Tie
What is a lip/tongue tie?
Tongue tie is known as ankyloglossia which means
stiffening of the tongue. This is fairly common, occurring
in 4-10% of the population. A tongue tie occurs when the embryological remnant of the tissue attaching the floor of the mouth does not disappear when the infant is born. A lip tie occurs when the upper lip remains attached to the upper gum and interferes with the lip’s ability to adequately flange upward during an infant’s latch.
Tongue/Lip Tie Examples
Anterior Tongue Tie
Posterior Tongue Tie
Lip Tie
Common breastfeeding difficulties
when a baby has a tongue tie
You may experience:
• Nipple pain
• Cracked or sore nipples
• A misshapen nipple after breastfeeding
• A stripe mark on your nipple after breastfeeding
• Low milk supply
• Mastitis & nipple thrush
• Maternal exhaustion
Your baby may:
• Have difficulty attaching to the breast
• Seem fussy at the breast
• Often come off and on the breast during a feed
• Suck air in when feeding
• Make a clicking sound when feeding
• Quickly become tired while feeding
Laser Treatment
A Frenectomy may be the treatment needed to help
give your baby’s tongue and lip the freedom it needs to
establish a proper latch and successful feed.
We use the LightScapel® CO2 laser to perform the
frenectomies of the upper lip and tongue.
Lasers have many benefits:
• Bleeding risk is significantly reduced
• Quick. Only takes a couple of minutes
• Little chance of infection
• No need for sedation
• Fast recovery. You can nurse immediately after
the procedure
What to Expect:
• In general, the procedure is very well tolerated by infants and children.
• We do our best to minimize both pain and stress to the child and parents
• For babies under the age of 12 months, no anesthetic is needed
• For infants older than 12 months, a numbing cream or injected local anesthetic may be applied
• Crying and the child being fussy are common both during and after the procedure
• You may breastfeed, bottle feed or soothe your baby in any manner that you would like after the procedure.
Please note that outcomes for every baby will vary. In some cases, extra help from a chiropractor, physical/occupational therapist, doula, midwife and/or lactation consultant may be beneficial for
you and your baby.
“Infant breastfeeding should not be considered as
a lifestyle choice but rather a basic health issue.”
– American Academy of Pediatrics
Meet Dr. Valerie Esker
Valerie Esker, DMD is a 2006 graduate of Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine. After practicing in St. Louis, MO in a children's dental clinic for six years as a general dentist and as Dental Director, she became inspired to specialize in pediatric dentistry. She received her Pediatric Specialty Certificate from Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora, CO in July, 2014. She is a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist and member of the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. She enjoys reading, swimming, traveling and spending time with her husband, Dr. Michael Koch, a chiropractor, and their family.
Meet Dr. Nadareh Naseri
Nadareh Naseri, DDS is a 2018 graduate of University of Tennessee College of Dentistry and an East Tennessee native. After dental school, Dr. Naseri completed a general practice residency focused on patients with special medical and dental needs at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, WA and continued to specialize in pediatric dentistry at Bon Secours St Mary’s Hospital in Richmond, VA. She enjoys planning any sort of themed event, hiking with her dog (Moonshadow), fermenting kombucha, gardening, and spending time with her family.
Meet Dr. Stephen Fowler
Stephen Fowler, DMD is a 2011 graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry. After dental school, Dr. Fowler completed a General Practice Residency at the University of Kentucky. He moved to Knoxville in 2013 and has worked in pediatric dentistry since 2015. He is a member of the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. He enjoys golfing and spending time outside with his wife and children.
Our Pediatric Dental Specialists
We are here for you and your child.
Our goal is to exceed your expectations.
From the time your child grows their first tooth until they are ready to move on to an adult dentist, our Dr. Valerie and her team will help care for and protect your child’s smile. Because children are so different from adults, we take a unique approach to every patient. We treat our patients as if they were our own and we want each visit to be a fun, educational visit.
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