NWA Tongue Tie Center: The Experts in Laser Frenectomy Procedures

Our Mission

At NWA Tongue Tie Center, we are dedicated to delivering high-quality laser frenectomy procedures for infants and children within a comfortable and welcoming environment. Our main objective is to effectively release tethered oral tissues (TOTs), such as lip tie and tongue tie, which can hinder normal function and assist children on their path to a lifetime of optimal health.  We are committed to helping nursing mothers with Infant Frenectomy procedures and children who have swallowing, speaking or sleeping issues from a tethered oral tissues or tongue ties.  

Our Vision

We want every nursing mom to feel comfortable, supported, and able to breastfeed for as long as she chooses. No pain. No stress. No guesswork.

We want every child to grow with the freedom and strength they need in their oral tissues so they develop healthy oral motor function. When the tongue, lips, and cheeks move the way they should, kids breathe better, sleep better, eat better, and grow with a strong foundation for lifelong health.

Our focus is simple:
Help moms feed with confidence and help children grow with ease.

We believe a healthy, mobile tongue helps guide proper jaw growth, airway development, and overall oral health. When tongue ties, lip ties, or other oral restrictions limit movement, babies and children often struggle with feeding, speech, or sleep. Our goal is to spot these issues early and give families a clear plan that supports real function, not quick fixes.

We take a team approach because no one provider can see the full picture. We work closely with lactation consultants, doulas, speech pathologists, myofunctional therapists, chiropractors, and other professionals who focus on infant feeding, oral motor function, and pediatric airway health. This teamwork lets us look at how your child breathes, feeds, and grows as one connected system.

Many nursing challenges improve once the right support is in place. Moms often tell us they see relief from pain, better latch, calmer feeds, and fewer symptoms linked to tongue ties or lip ties—things like clicking, reflux, gassiness, and long, stressful feedings. Our goal is simple: help you nurse comfortably for as long as you choose, because breastfeeding supports emotional connection and long‑term health for you and your baby.

For toddlers and older children, tethered oral tissues can show up as speech issues, swallowing problems, crowded teeth, or disrupted sleep. With coordinated care, we see meaningful changes in how children eat, speak, and breathe.

We don’t rush into surgery.
We start with a full evaluation, bring in the right specialists, and look at function first. When a laser frenectomy is the best choice, we use current techniques and equipment to make the experience safe, precise, and focused on healthy movement—not just appearance.

Our philosophy comes down to this:
build the right support around each child so feeding, breathing, and growth move in the right direction.

We use advanced CO₂ laser technology to perform infant frenectomies for tongue ties and lip ties with precision and minimal discomfort. The LightScalpel CO₂ laser allows us to release tethered oral tissues (TOTs) quickly and safely using a cool light beam that reduces bleeding, inflammation, and healing time. This approach gives us precise control without the need for scalpels, scissors, sutures, or anesthesia for infants.

Most babies feed right away after the procedure. Many moms see an immediate improvement in latch and breastfeeding comfort. When a release is needed early, this laser method is gentle enough to be done as early as the day your baby leaves the hospital.

We also provide frenectomies for toddlers and older children. At this age, oral restrictions can show up as speech challenges, swallowing issues, mouth breathing, crowded teeth, and problems with solid feeding. A laser release can improve tongue mobility, support clearer speech, and help children use their lips, cheeks, and tongue the way they need for proper oral development. Our focus is always on restoring healthy function so children can breathe, eat, and grow with more ease.

Because after‑care plays a major role in long‑term success, we work within a team model. We stay connected with lactation consultants, myofunctional therapists, speech pathologists, and other providers throughout Rogers, Bentonville, Springdale, and Fayetteville to support healthy healing and improved mobility. Together, we help your child build the strength and movement needed for better feeding, swallowing, breathing, and growth. 

Families who come to us for tongue‑tie or lip‑tie care can expect a thoughtful evaluation and a clear plan that focuses on improving function, not recommending procedures that aren’t needed. Our goal is straightforward: provide safe, precise treatment and the right support team so your child can feed, speak, and grow with healthy oral motor skills and a strong airway foundation.

What Breastmilk Does for a Baby

Breastmilk is a living, adaptive fluid designed specifically for human infants. Its composition shifts based on your baby’s age, needs, illness, and even the time of day. No formula can match this level of personalization.

Immune Protection

Breastmilk delivers antibodies, immune cells, and anti‑inflammatory factors that help protect your baby from infections and support the developing immune system.

Digestive Support

It contains enzymes, hormones, and prebiotics that support healthy digestion and help mature the gut lining.

Brain and Nervous System Development

Breastmilk provides DHA, choline, and essential fatty acids that support brain growth, vision, and early cognitive development.

Nutritional Adaptation

Breastmilk changes when:

• your baby is sick
• your body senses a need for more hydration or calories
• your baby grows through developmental leaps

Breastmilk is built to meet your baby where they are, every day.

The Mother–Baby Dyad

Breastfeeding is not just feeding—it is a biological relationship. Mom and baby function as a dyad, regulating each other’s hormones, emotions, and physiology.

Emotional Co‑Regulation

The closeness of breastfeeding helps stabilize a baby’s emotions, heart rate, and breathing. It also lowers stress hormones like cortisol in both mother and baby.

Hormonal Co‑Regulation

Nursing triggers:

• Oxytocin in mom → bonding, calmer mood, milk flow
• Oxytocin in baby → calmer nervous system and emotional regulation
• Prolactin in mom → supports milk production and feelings of relaxation

These hormonal shifts help both mom and baby feel connected, calmer, and more attuned to each other.

Temperature and Heart Rate Stability

Skin‑to‑skin contact during feeding helps regulate your baby’s temperature, heart rate, and breathing. A mother’s body adjusts to the baby’s needs in real time.

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How Breastfeeding Supports Jaw Growth and Development Leading to Life-Long Health Benefits

Breastfeeding plays a key role in shaping the airway, dental arches, and facial growth during early life.

Proper Muscle Activation

A baby uses strong, coordinated movements of the tongue, cheeks, lips, and jaw during breastfeeding. This builds the muscles needed for feeding, swallowing, and airway stability. Bottle‑feeding uses a much simpler pattern.

Forward and Upward Tongue Motion

Breastfeeding trains the tongue to lift and press against the palate. This creates a broad, healthy upper arch that supports nasal breathing, tooth alignment, and a stable bite.

Stimulation of Jawbone Growth

The suck‑swallow pattern applies gentle, repetitive pressure that stimulates bone growth and guides the jaws forward. Forward jaw growth helps protect the airway and reduces the risk of narrow arches and crowding.

Nasal Breathing Support

Breastfeeding encourages babies to breathe through the nose while feeding. Nasal breathing supports proper development of the maxilla, mandible, and the airway as a whole.

Long‑Term Impact

Healthy early oral function lays the groundwork for:

• stable airway development
• aligned dental arches
• a balanced bite
• clearer speech
• fewer sleep and breathing issues later in childhood

Most people have two frenulums: one under the tongue and one that connects the upper lip to the gums. These tissues help guide normal movement for feeding and swallowing. When they are too tight or too thick, the tongue or lip can’t move the way it needs to. A tongue tie limits how the tongue lifts and extends, and a lip tie makes it harder for the upper lip to create a proper seal. Together, these restrictions are called tethered oral tissues (TOTs).

Restricted oral tissues often lead to feeding challenges that look like reflux, colic, or slow weight gain. Treating those symptoms doesn’t fix the root cause, because the problem isn’t the stomach—it’s the baby’s ability to move the tongue and lips the right way during a feed.

Babies with tongue ties or lip ties often struggle to latch, and breastfeeding becomes painful or exhausting for both mom and baby. You might notice:

• chewing or gumming at the breast
• pain during nursing
• gasping or losing suction
• clicking or wheezing sounds
• a shallow latch
• frequent hiccups or gassiness
• signs of reflux or colic
• low milk transfer or decreased milk supply
• rising stress or postpartum depression

These issues often come from a tongue that can’t lift, seal, and swallow fully—or a lip that can’t maintain suction. When the tongue can’t complete a strong swallow, babies gulp air and work much harder than they should. This is a structural issue, not something you caused, and not a sign that your body or milk is the problem.

Our goal is simple: identify tongue ties and lip ties early and treat them in a way that supports comfortable, effective breastfeeding. When feeding feels good, it strengthens bonding and supports your baby’s growth, development, and immune health.

A laser frenectomy is never our automatic first step. We evaluate how your baby moves and feeds, and we work closely with lactation consultants, bodyworkers, myofunctional therapists, and other specialists here in Northwest Arkansas to support your baby’s function first. When a release is truly needed, we use a precise, gentle laser approach to help your baby feed, swallow, and grow with ease.

Tongue ties are more than just a feeding issue. When the tongue cannot move freely or rest properly, it can impact a child’s breathing, sleep quality, and overall growth.

For optimal development, the tongue should rest gently on the roof of the mouth (palate) both when awake and asleep. This posture supports:

• Nasal breathing
• Proper jaw growth
• A stable airway

When a tongue tie is present, the tongue often sits low in the mouth, encouraging mouth breathing. This alters palate formation and airflow during sleep.

Children with restricted tongue mobility may experience:

• Sleeping with their mouth open
• Snoring
• Teeth grinding
• Fragmented sleep
• Signs of sleep‑disordered breathing (SDB)
• Mimics ADD/ADHD

Chronic mouth breathing can lead to enlarged tonsils and adenoids, restless sleep, and daytime symptoms like irritability, hyperactivity, or trouble focusing.

It is known that poor sleep and breathing affect neurocognitive development.

The tongue acts as a natural “expander” for the upper jaw. If the tongue cannot lift properly:

• The palate becomes high and narrow
• Dental arches may crowd
• The airway can shrink

These changes increase the risk of:

• Crooked or crowded teeth
• Crossbites
• Overbites
• Narrow arches requiring orthodontic treatment

Healthy tongue mobility guides jaw growth forward and outward, supporting a wider airway and improved facial development.

Addressing tongue function early—through therapy, feeding support, or release—protects:

• Nasal breathing
• Sleep quality
• Airway development
• Long‑term orthodontic health

We look beyond the frenulum. Our holistic approach evaluates how your child breathes, sleeps, and uses their tongue every day. If a release is needed, we provide supportive therapies to encourage healthy oral habits, laying the foundation for better sleep and growth.

Dr. Jeff Rhodes and Dr. Andrew Burriss are Board Certified Pediatric Dentists and Diplomates of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. Together, they bring decades of experience caring for children and supporting families through feeding, growth, and airway concerns.

Dr. Jeff Rhodes, a Certified Laser Specialist, has performed laser frenectomies for more than 15 years with a strong focus on infant care. He founded Smile Shoppe Pediatric Dentistry, BreatheWell Dental Studio and the NWA Tongue Tie Center.  Dr Rhodes serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor at OU Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City, where he teaches on tongue ties, lip ties, and airway-focused pediatric dentistry. He is a Fellow of the ALSC and certified by the American Board of Laser Surgery.  Dr Rhodes has been involved in organized dentistry for over 30 years, serving children through leadership and advocacy at the state, regional and national level.

Dr. Andrew Burriss, known to families as Dr. Andrew, served as Chief Resident at the Bon Secours Pediatric Dental Residency at St. Mary’s Hospital in Richmond, VA. He has been performing laser frenectomies for over seven years and has seen the positive impact of tongue‑ and lip‑tie treatment in his own children. His calm, compassionate approach helps families feel at ease while he works quickly and precisely to release tethered oral tissues.

Our practice has been honored to serve families in Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale, Fayetteville, and the surrounding Northwest Arkansas communities for more than 30 years. Our mission remains the same: provide excellent evidence-based care, support healthy development, and help every child (and parent) thrive.