Tongue-Tie Care for Georgia Families

Why Georgia families make the drive

Families drive to our Pelham office from all over Alabama and from neighboring states, and some fly in from other countries. Part of the reason is that Dr. Baxter wrote the book Tongue-Tied, and he teaches other doctors and providers how to evaluate and treat ties through Tongue-Tied Academy. Dr. Baxter and Dr. Trego are both pediatric dentists who see children from birth to 18, and tongue and lip ties are the focus of our practice.

Crossing a state line for a specialized evaluation isn’t as unusual as it might sound, and we’ve built the visit around the trip. The consult, exam, and treatment (if it’s needed) happen in one visit, and the one-week follow-up can be done by email with photos, so you don’t have to make the drive twice.

If someone already told you there’s nothing there, or that the tie is “mild,” it may still be worth a second look. A tie is judged by how the tongue and lip work, not just how they look, and one that looks small can still affect feeding, speech, or sleep. It’s easy to miss. Send us a free pre-screen and we’ll give you our honest opinion.

How far is the drive from Georgia?

Approximate drive times to 2480 Pelham Pkwy, Pelham, AL 35124, without long stops:

• Carrollton: about 2 to 2.5 hours (about 120 miles), west on I-20 toward Birmingham.
• Atlanta: about 2.5 to 3 hours from downtown (about 160 miles), west on I-20 toward Birmingham. Add time if you’re starting from the north or east side of the metro, and Atlanta traffic can add a lot.
• Rome: about 2.5 hours (about 135 miles), west on US-411 into Alabama, then south on I-59 toward Birmingham.
• Columbus: about 2.5 to 3 hours (about 140 miles), west on US-280 through Phenix City and Opelika toward Birmingham.
• LaGrange: about 2.5 to 3 hours (about 145 miles), south on I-85 to Opelika, then west on US-280 toward Birmingham.

Near Birmingham, your map app will take you to I-65 South, and our office is on Pelham Parkway a few minutes off the interstate.

There may be providers closer to home, and you should see whoever you trust. If you want a careful first evaluation, or a second opinion after hearing different things, we’re glad to help. If you’re not sure the trip makes sense, send us a free pre-screen first and we’ll give you an honest answer.

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 trip from Georgia

• Mind the time change. Alabama is on Central time, one hour behind Georgia (Eastern time). Your appointment time is Central time, so a 10:00 a.m. appointment is 11:00 a.m. on a Georgia clock. You gain an hour on the way here and lose it on the way home.
• Day trip or overnight? From Carrollton, Rome, LaGrange, Columbus, or the west side of Atlanta, a day trip is usually doable. If you’re coming from farther across the Atlanta metro, or you have an early appointment, some families would rather drive over the evening before, stay near Pelham or Birmingham, and come in rested.
• Give yourself a cushion for traffic leaving Atlanta and around Birmingham, especially on weekday mornings.
• Plan a feeding stop about halfway.
• One drive, not two. The one-week follow-up can be done by email with photos, so there’s no second drive.
• Coming from farther away? Birmingham’s airport (BHM) is about 25 minutes from our office.

Our hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central time (9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern).

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, and you can do it by email from home in Georgia. Take photos of the treated areas and of the tongue or lip and email them to us, and we’ll review them and let you know how things look and what to do next. 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. If cheek (buccal) ties are released along with the lip and tongue, there’s no extra charge. Follow-up exams are at no charge, and so is a revision within 12 months.

We’re out-of-network and self-pay, and payment is due at the visit. We give you a detailed claim form to send to your insurance for possible reimbursement. You can pay with cash, debit, or credit card (a 3% surcharge applies to credit cards), or with a Cherry or CareCredit payment plan if you apply before your visit. 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 Georgia 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 Georgia, start with a free pre-screen.