Tongue-Tie Care for Auburn and Opelika Families

Why Lee County families travel to see us

Some families come to us from a short drive away, and some come from other states or other countries. Part of the reason is experience in a specialized area. Dr. Baxter wrote the book Tongue-Tied and teaches other doctors and providers about tongue and lip ties through Tongue-Tied Academy. He and Dr. Trego are both pediatric dentists.

Maybe you’ve already asked about a tie and were told it’s nothing, or that it’s mild. That can be true. It can also be that the restriction is affecting your child’s feeding, speech, sleep, or other things and was easy to overlook. A tie is judged by how the tongue or lip functions, not just by how it looks, so it takes a careful look at function.

About 2.5 hours each way is a real commitment, which is why we keep it to one trip. The consult, exam, and treatment (if needed) happen the same day, and the one-week check can be done by emailing photos. If you’d like to know what we think first, send a free pre-screen.

Is the drive from Auburn and Opelika worth it?

• The drive: about 2.5 hours (about 110 miles) to 2480 Pelham Pkwy, Pelham, AL 35124.
• One visit: consult, exam, and treatment if it’s needed, all the same day.
• Follow-up made easier: families traveling a long distance can do the one-week follow-up by email. Send us photos of the treated areas and we’ll review them and advise you.

If you’ve been going back and forth about whether a tongue-tie is part of the problem, a careful evaluation can settle it, even if the answer is that a release isn’t needed. Not sure yet? Send us a free pre-screen and we’ll tell you whether we think the drive makes sense.

How a same-day visit works

• Call or send a message. Call 205-419-4333 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) or use our contact page to schedule. You don’t need a referral.
• Not sure it’s worth the drive? Start with a free pre-screen. Email us photos of your child’s tongue and lip and our symptom sheet, and we’ll tell you whether a visit makes sense.
• The consult. You’ll meet with Dr. Baxter or Dr. Trego. We go over your child’s history and your feeding, sleep, and comfort concerns, and we typically spend 30 minutes or more just talking with you.
• The exam. We check the lip, tongue, and cheeks for restrictions and look at how the tongue moves. If we find a restriction, we take photos with a small camera so you can see it too. Then we recommend the most appropriate care, never more and never less.
• Treatment at the same visit, if it’s needed. If a release will help, we can usually do it the same day, so you only make one trip. It takes about 10 to 15 seconds per area, with no sedation or general anesthesia, just numbing jelly or sugar water.
• Before you head home. Babies can nurse right afterward, and a weighted feed is available. Older kids get a popsicle and can go play on our playground.

Want more detail? See how the procedure works.

Planning the drive from Auburn and Opelika

• There’s more than one good route from Lee County. Common routes are US-280, or I-85 to I-65. Your map app will pick the faster one that day.
• Plan a feeding or stretch break about halfway.
• Our office is on Pelham Parkway, a few minutes off I-65.

Our hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

What to bring

• The completed symptom sheet (for babies, our infant symptom sheet (PDF)) or your quiz results
• For babies under 6 months: the vitamin K shot (not oral drops) must have been given at least 12 hours before the procedure. Bring the record if you have it, and call us first if your baby had drops
• A list of any medicines your child takes
• Names of your pediatrician and lactation consultant or therapist, if you have them
• Your health insurance information, so you can file the claim form we give you
• Your payment method, or your Cherry or CareCredit approval (apply before your visit)
• For babies: extra diapers, a change of clothes, and your bottle or pump if you use one
• For older kids: a favorite comfort item and a snack for the drive home

After you go home

• Improvement isn’t always instant. Your child’s tongue has to learn a new way of moving, and there may even be a little regression in sucking for a day or two. That’s normal.
• Before you leave, we’ll go over aftercare and the exercises we recommend. Our aftercare videos are also on our website if you want a refresher at home.
• We follow up one week after the procedure. Families traveling a long distance can do the one-week follow-up by email: send us a photo of the treated areas and of the tongue or lip, and we’ll review it and let you know how things look. No need to make the drive again.
• Follow-up exams are at no charge, and if a restriction grows back within 12 months, we fix it at no charge.
• Ongoing support close to home can help, and we can help you find local lactation and feeding support.
• Questions after you get home? Call us at 205-419-4333. If you’re ever worried about your baby’s weight, feeding, or wet diapers, call your pediatrician right away.

What it costs

Consult $175. Release of each treated area (tongue, lip, or cheek) $500, and we charge for a maximum of two areas. A tongue and lip visit totals $1,175, and tongue only is $675. Follow-up exams are at no charge. We’re out-of-network and self-pay, and we give you a detailed claim form to send to your insurance for possible reimbursement. A $50 deposit holds your consult time and goes toward the $175 consult fee. It’s non-refundable if you cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice or miss the appointment. See fees and what’s included.

Questions from Auburn and Opelika families

Ready when you are

Call us at 205-419-4333 or send us a message to schedule. If you’d like an opinion before you make the drive from Auburn and Opelika, start with a free pre-screen.