What Is Tongue Tie And How Is it Treated?

Tongue-tie can cause problems in breast feeding the baby. There may be other associated problems as the child grows.

Tongue-tie is the layman's term for a condition known as ankyloglossia, which can be called a birth defect. Our tongue is attached to the bottom of the mouth with a band of tissue known as lingual frenulum. In case of some babies this band of tissue may be too short, hindering the movement of the tongue. This condition is known as tongue-tie.

Tongue-tie can cause problems in breast feeding the baby. There may be other associated problems as the child grows. Gaps between the teeth or teeth positioning and speech problems are common. Due to the limited movement of the tongue, the child cannot pronounce some syllables clearly. Besides, the child faces physical problems like being unable to clear off the food on the teeth with the tongue as its movement is restricted due to the short band of tissue.

The reason for tongue-tie is generally not known, quite often it is genetic in nature. You might find it running in families. Some babies may also have other facial defects like a cleft palate that may cause the condition.

Diagnosing the condition of Tongue Tie Release would require a complete physical examination of the baby's mouth by a doctor. In fact, some symptoms may be obvious to the mother such as difficulty breast-feeding the child. The doctor also checks the movement of the mouth and shape of the tongue to arrive at a diagnosis.

Doctors have different opinions as far as the treatment of tongue-tie is concerned. Some of them think it best to treat the condition immediately while other may take a wait-and-see approach. At times the wait and watch approach works because as the child grows they may adapt to the condition or the problem is resolved by itself.

A medical procedure known as frenotomy is done to clip off the lingual frenulum and free the tongue in case the baby is not able to feed properly. This is a minor surgery which may be performed with or without anaesthesia. Usually it is just a small cut with minimal bleeding and might not require sutures. If feeding is not a problem, the doctor may decide to avoid the surgery. As the baby grows, the lingual frenulum may stretch and problem is resolved naturally.

Frenuloplasty is a more complex procedure required if the lingual frenulum is too thick or needs more than a simple surgery. This procedure is taken up at a hospital under general anaesthesia. The wound is closed with sutures so that there is minimal bleeding and heals quickly. This procedure may be considered in older children or adults.

Integrity Dental, a speciality clinic in NSW Australia offers treatment for Dentist Baulkham Hills NSW release as well as other other oral related problems. With state-of-the-art equipment, medical specialists perform the procedures in a sterile environment. Visit the website at http://integritydental.com.au or call for consultation, now.

License: You have permission to republish this article in any format, even commercially, but you must keep all links intact. Attribution required.