Private Tongue Tie Clinic Inverness

We are the only Private Tongue Tie Service in Inverness.

With many year’s experience as a Maxillofacial, Head and Neck Consultant Surgeon, Mr. Peter Grime has a strong reputation in the field of neonatal and infant tongue tie surgical divisions.

Unfortunately we no longer provide this service on a referral basis via NHS Highland. Due to financial cuts this Service was taken back in-house to NHSH and the criteria severely narrowed to only breast fed babies.

We provide our service directly so, as a mum you can phone up and request an appointment whether the baby is bottle fed or breast fed.

NHS Highland will only refer Breast Fed Babies into our service however, at Clinic M will review all babies as requested by parents.

Mr Grime has a personal database of completing over 3500 babies to date now and we are currently running a mini study to follow up the tongue tie babies later on in life.

Our Consultation with the Surgeon does not mean that you have to have the snip, Mr Grime will give you all the information you need to make an informed choice. If you decide to go ahead with the snip it will be carried out at the same time.

The boy of three monthes lies on the bed sheet and smiles

With a significantly high success rate, an audit of Mr Grime’s young patients showed a high rate of infants able to return to breastfeeding with reduced feed times and fewer feeding clusters. Furthermore, the audit highlighted a reduction in reflux and improved satisfaction for the mother when feeding.

Although many parents might have concerns about putting their young child through this surgery, we are here to reassure you that the process is simple, effective and has produced no complications to date. In fact, this procedure is often completed within two to six weeks of birth.

Generally, the procedure will occur at the same time as the initial consultation. At this time the doctor will inject a small quantity of local anaesthetic into the surgical site to control any pain or bleeding. With a specialised retractor designed by Mr Grime, the doctor will then lift the tongue of the infant to identify the required area for cutting. Once cut, bleeding is minimal and will stop quickly.

Private Tongue Tie Referral
NHS Tongue Tie Clinic

Referral to this service is via your health visitor & in collaboration with NHS Highland. Baby must go through the triage team prior to a referral being sent to this clinic. Our clinic cannot treat an NHS Tongue Tie baby without an NHS referral. An appointment will be made when we have received the appropriate paperwork.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does tongue tie need to be corrected?

Treatment isn’t always required, if your baby has a tongue tie but can feed without any problems then it isn’t always required. If their feeding is affected, treatment involves a simple procedure called a tongue – tie division.

Why is tongue-tie so common now?

Tongue ties are being blamed on social media for a slew of woes affecting infants. From nipple pain to poor napping to speech issues, but many experts agree that the rise in diagnosis and treatment is being led by consumer demand rather than hard science. There is a debate ongoing regarding Folic Acid, no studies are recorded at this stage and further research is required.

Can you get a tongue tie cut at any age?

It’s usually never too late to get a tongue tie cut. However, the sooner tongue-tie is corrected, the fewer possible side effects this condition will cause you.

Does tongue-tie cause speech delay?

Tongue-tie does not affect language development delays. That means your child’s ability to understand communication and express their wants, needs, thoughts and ideas will not be negatively affected by a tongue-tie.

How long does it take to heal after having the procedure?

It takes about 2 weeks for your child’s mouth to heal after a tongue-tie procedure. It will appear like a diamond shaped wound in the beginning, and this will change in a few days to a white/yellow colour as it heals. This may appear infected to you, but this is the normal healing process.

Will my baby be in pain after a tongue-tie cut?

Some discomfort is normal after the procedure. If your baby is crying more than usual in the first 24hrs don’t worry. Feed them regularly and give them lots of cuddles and skin to skin contact. There are pain relief options as well. It may bleed for a little time afterwards and it will appear a lot more as it mixes with the saliva of the mouth. The babies don’t behave like they are in pain.