Meet Dr. Hershko
Dr. Gal Hershko is Fulton, Maryland's first and only Board Certified Pediatric Dentist and Infant Lip and Tongue Tie Specialist. She is an advocate for providing families with the knowledge and resources to optimize their child's oral motor function, in order to help establish desirable feeding, speech, and airway habits. Dr. Hershko uses the most efficient, carbon dioxide laser system, the LightScalpel CO2 laser, to perform gentle and precise soft tissue procedures. She treats infants and children, alongside functional specialists, using a comprehensive and collaborative treatment approach.
What is a Tongue Tie?
The condition known as ankyloglossia has been around for thousands of years. The most recent definition proposed by the International Affiliation of Tongue Tie Professionals (IATP), states that the tongue tie is "an embryological remnant of tissue in the midline between the undersurface of the tongue and the floor of the mouth that restricts normal tongue movement." This connective tissue remnant, the frenum, may prevent the tongue from functioning properly, leading to restrictions in oral motor development, feeding skills, and respiratory habits. In order for the oral structures to meet the criteria for a tongue tie, there must be a true functional limitation. The process of diagnosing a tongue tie is a collaborative one that involves taking an in-depth history, completing in-person pretreatment assessments, and examining the oral cavity and extraoral structures.
Symptom Checker
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struggle to nurse or take a bottle
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leak milk from his or her mouth while eating
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make clicking or smacking noises when eating
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have sucking blisters or callouses on lips
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wake often or sleep restlessly
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exhibit poor or slow weight gain
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display reflux or colic symptoms
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experience lots of gas or continually fuss
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have constipation or irregular stools
Address
11810 W. Market Pl. Ste 202
Fulton, MD. 20759
2nd floor of Westside Medical Pavilion