Tongue Tie - Has Major Implications - Check it and Get it Cured before its Too Late

 Tongue-tie is the non-medical term for a condition that limits the use of the tongue. Before we are born, a strong cord of tissue that guides development of mouth structures is positioned in the center of the mouth. It is called a frenulum. As we grow, it recedes and thins. This frenulum is visible and easily felt if you look in the mirror under your tongue. 

In some children, the frenulum is especially tight or fails to recede and may cause tongue mobility problems. In tongue-tie, the free movement of the tongue is restricted due to abnormal attachment of the base of the tongue (lingual frenulum) towards the tip of the tongue.

                                    

                                   Problems Associated with Tongue Tie

Feeding – A new baby with a too tight frenulum can have trouble sucking and may have poor weight gain. Nursing mothers who experience significant pain while nursing or whose baby has trouble latching on should have their child evaluated for tongue tie.  

Speech - In some children, tongue tie may also cause speech defects, preventing speech defects may be another reason to consider surgical intervention. Although, there is no obvious way to tell in infancy which children will have speech difficulties later, the following associated characteristics are common:

• V-shaped notch at the tip of the tongue
• Inability to stick out the tongue past the upper gums
• Inability to touch the roof of the mouth
• Difficulty moving the tongue from side to side

Dental - Tongue tie may contribute to dental problems as well, causing a persistent gap between the bottom two front teeth.

                               

                                             Does My Child Need Surgery for Tongue Tie?                                          

Tongue tie often resolves on its own after two or three years of age. As a child grows and develops, the frenulum often continues to recede (normally it recedes before birth), lessening the abnormality. Unless feeding is a problem, it is recommended to wait at least a year before considering surgery. If tongue tie interferes with a baby’s feeding, early intervention is usually warranted

Tongue-tie surgery (frenulectomy) is a simple procedure and there are normally no complications. Parents should consider that this surgery often yields more benefit than is obvious by restoring ease of speech and self-esteem.