Does Every Lip Tie Need to Be Released?

Vanshi Topiwala

Oct 19

2 min read

If someone has pointed out your child’s upper lip tie, you may have heard completely different advice:

“They need a release.” “Just wait, they’ll grow out of it.”

So…which is it?

New research gives us an important reminder: how a lip tie looks is only one piece of the picture.

Lip Ties Can Change as Children Grow

A 2026 study looked at the upper and lower lip frena, the bands of tissue connecting the lips to the gums, in 1,068 people ranging from newborns to adults (Yoon et al., 2026).

Researchers found that the upper lip frenum changes significantly during childhood. In younger children, attachments closer to the teeth were more common. As children grew, the frenum tended to move higher on the gums and become less tense, with some of the biggest changes occurring between ages 3 and 6.

In simple terms?

A frenum that looks prominent or tight in infancy may look very different a few years later.

So Should You Just "Wait and See”?

Not always.

The researchers emphasize that decisions about treatment shouldn’t be based on appearance alone. Instead, we need to consider whether the frenum is actually affecting function.

That means looking at things like feeding, lip movement, speech, dental development, and other oral function concerns, not simply whether a piece of tissue looks tight.

The study also found that certain attachment patterns and increased tension were associated with a gap between the upper front teeth. But even then, the bigger picture matters. Some spacing between the teeth can be a normal part of development.

Function Over Appearance

At The Mouth Rehab, we often say: There’s more to your mouth than meets the eye. When we evaluate a possible lip tie, we’re not just asking, “Is there a tie?” We’re asking: What is the mouth actually able to do?

A visible frenum doesn’t automatically mean there’s a problem and it doesn’t automatically mean a release is needed. But if your child is experiencing feeding, speech, breathing, or other oral function concerns, it may be worth taking a closer look.

Not sure whether your child’s lip tie is affecting function? Contact The Mouth Rehab to schedule an evaluation. We’ll look beyond appearance to help you understand what’s happening and what your next steps may be.