What Is a Lip Tie?

Written by Katie Cameron
Medically Reviewed by Poonam Sachdev on May 08, 2025
4 min read

A lip tie is a condition where the skin of the upper lip is attached to the gums in a way that can limit lip movement and make breastfeeding difficult for your baby. Learn more about how lip ties are diagnosed and what your options are for fixing one if your baby is affected.

Opinions differ on what causes lip ties. Some experts believe that the condition runs in families, meaning if you had or have a lip tie, your child might be more likely to have one. But the exact cause of lip ties is still unknown.

If you think your baby may have a lip tie, talk to a medical professional and have it checked out. You can talk to any of the following experts:

During the checkup, a medical professional will talk to you about breastfeeding and may ask to watch your baby feed so they can look for signs of a lip tie. They will check the following: 

  • Your baby’s ability (or inability) to latch deep enough for effective feeding
  • If your baby makes a clicking sound during breastfeeding, which is a sign of a poor latch
  • Spitting milk out or choking on milk
  • Feeding with high frequency, called cluster feeding
  • Poor weight gain or transfer of milk during a breastfeeding session
  • Development of jaundice, which is a condition where your baby’s skin turns slightly yellow

Medical experts will also check for the presence of a lip tie by looking underneath your baby’s upper lip. There are four levels of severity when diagnosing a lip tie, with level four being the most severe:

  • Level 1 – Mucosal
  • Level 2 – Gingival
  • Level 3 – Papillary
  • Level 4 – Papilla penetrating

Breastfeeding is natural, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Your nipples may be sore when breastfeeding your baby, but severe pain or damage to your nipples is a sign that something is wrong with your baby’s latch. You may experience:

  • Pain when your baby is nursing
  • Damage to your nipples
  • Changes in the shape of your nipples
  • Breast issues such as engorgement, blocked ducts, or mastitis
  • Issues with your milk supply, either too much or too little

Lip ties can cause complications for your baby over time, including:

Dental issues

When a baby can’t breastfeed effectively, it can lead to poor nutrition. A severe lip tie may also affect your baby’s dental health. Lip ties often lead to tooth decay in children.

Lip ties can lead to tooth decay for your baby when milk and bits of food get trapped in the teeth because of the upper lip. It is important to clean the area behind your baby’s upper lip well to prevent this. If your baby’s teeth are not cleaned well in that area, your child may also experience a receding of their gums because of bacterial buildup. 

A lip tie can also cause a huge gap between the front two teeth. This happens when the lip tie is so severe that it extends beyond the gums and connects onto the palate of the roof of their mouth. 

Diet issues

As your baby gets older, an untreated lip tie may lead to trouble eating some foods. For example, their lip may not be able to move enough to clean the food off of a spoon, or they may struggle to move bites of food with their lip for chewing. If this happens, your child may develop eating habits that seem picky.

The procedure for correcting a lip tie is called a frenectomy and is done by a dentist. Although it takes only a few minutes to complete, it is considered a surgery. Your baby will lie in a chair or on a table and will probably be strapped down to prevent sudden movements.

The dentist will apply a numbing solution to your baby’s gums to prevent any discomfort. Then, they will use a small, handheld laser to cut the piece of skin connecting the lip to the gums.

Right after the procedure is finished, your baby is free to be held and breastfed if they want to. Some babies often experience an immediate improvement in latch, while others may need time to adjust. Depending on your baby’s age, they may take time to get a deeper latch during breastfeeding. They may have a habit of latching incorrectly and will need guidance to learn how to latch properly.

Keep in mind that you will have to complete stretches for your baby multiple times a day as your baby’s upper lip heals. By pulling up on the lip and gently rubbing the area with a clean finger, you can prevent the skin from growing back together.

Does a lip tie cause gapped teeth?

Some experts believe a lip tie can cause a child’s teeth to gap and that removing it may lower their odds of having gapped teeth when permanent teeth come in. Others believe more research is needed to prove that lip ties can cause dental issues.

What is the best age for a frenectomy?

There’s no exact right age for a frenectomy, or lip tie surgery. But if the lip tie is making it hard for your baby to feed or if your pediatrician is concerned that it may cause other issues later, many experts suggest having the surgery sooner rather than later. Other children may need one later if their vocal patterns are being affected by a lip tie.