Frequently Asked Questions About Tongue-Tie

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What is tongue-tie?

• A Tongue-tie is a condition present at birth that restricts the tongue’s range of motion.

• With tongue-tie, an unusually short, thick or tight band of tissue (lingual frenulum) tethers the bottom of the tongue’s tip to the floor of the mouth.

• A person who has tongue-tie might have difficulty sticking out his or her tongue.

• Tongue-tie can also affect the way a child eats, speaks, and swallows, as well as interfere with breast-feeding.

What does tongue-tie look like?

Examples of tongue-tie

Problems that may occur due to tongue-tie

• Signs and Symptoms During Breast Feeding:

  • Baby has poor ability to latch on to breast

  • Baby may be a slow drinker or falls asleep during feeding

  • Failure to thrive (baby doesn’t get enough milk due to inability to latch properly)

  • Baby may get stomach aches (colic)

  • Breastfeeding may be painful for Mom (sore and bleeding nipples)

  • Breastfeeding may be an unpleasant experience for Mom and Baby

• Picky Eater (child prefers soft foods because he/she may struggle to move food around in mouth for chewing and swallowing)

• Misaligned teeth or crowding of teeth due to improper development of oral structures

• Poor Articulation (speech sounds frequently impacted n, d, t, s, z, l, r, sh, ch)

• Reflux due to inappropriate swallow pattern

• Abnormal development of face and oral cavity (can lead to sleep disordered breathing (SDB) as a result of decreased anatomical support of the upper airway)What is tongue-tie?

• A Tongue-tie is a condition present at birth that restricts the tongue’s range of motion.

• With tongue-tie, an unusually short, thick or tight band of tissue (lingual frenulum) tethers the bottom of the tongue’s tip to the floor of the mouth.

• A person who has tongue-tie might have difficulty sticking out his or her tongue.

• Tongue-tie can also affect the way a child eats, speaks, and swallows, as well as interfere with breast-feeding.

Who diagnoses tongue-tie?

• Pediatrician

• ENT

• Dentist

• Speech-Language Pathologist

How is tongue-tie treated?

• When a tongue-tie is identified, a multidisciplinary approach is necessary.

  • A surgical procedure may be required to release the tethered tissue under the tongue. This procedure is usually conducted by a dentist, oral surgeon or ENT.

  • Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy is a critical component in the remediation process. It involves oral motor exercises to establish neuromuscular re-patterning of the tongue and facial muscles to achieve proper function for speech, chewing, swallowing and oral rest posture.