If your newborn has difficulty breastfeeding due to latching difficulties, you may want to have your child examined for tongue-tie. In some instances, this condition could hinder your baby’s feeding ability as well as their speech later on in life if left untreated.  If you suspect your child has tongue-tie, the pediatric dentist can help you determine how severe the condition is and if it is necessary to treat it. 

What Is Tongue Tie?

Tongue-tie, scientifically known as ankyloglossia, refers to the condition where an individual has an unusually short, thick tongue with a limited range of motion. This condition could result in the following complications:

• Latching issues for babies: The inability to extend the tongue during breastfeeding interferes with your baby’s ability to get breast milk, leading to inadequate nutrition.
• Articulation issues in children: A tongue with limited motion can affect your child’s ability to produce certain sounds that require tongue movement, such as: “t,” “z,” “d,” “l,” “th,” “r” and “s.”
• Poor oral hygiene: cleaning teeth and gums properly can be more difficult with a shorter, thicker tongue. Without effective oral hygiene, both child and adult smiles are vulnerable to teeth decay or gum inflammation.
• Issues with oral activities: Limited motion in a tongue makes it harder for children and adults to lick their lips, kiss, play a wind instrument, or even lick ice cream.

What Causes a Tongue-Tie?

Tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) is a genetic condition that is present at birth. Typically when the fetus is still in the womb, the lingual frenulum is connected to the bottom of the tongue, which should separate before birth. In cases when they don’t separate, tongue-tie occurs.

How Do You Diagnose and Treat Tongue Tie?

If your child has difficulty lifting their tongue upwards, moving their tongue from side to side, sticking out their tongue past the front teeth, or their tongue is heart-shaped when stuck out, you need to consult with the dentist. To diagnose this condition, a pediatric dentist will examine the tongue’s appearance and moveability.

In less severe cases, the lingual frenulum may loosen over time, resolving tongue-tie without intervention. For more serious cases, surgical treatment is required to resolve the associated issues. Surgical procedures include:

• Frenectomy – This procedure can be done at your pediatric dental office. A frenectomy involves relieving the tongue of immobility issues by releasing the frenulum tissues with specialized tools. The entire procedure often takes as little as 10 to 15 minutes and full recovery occurs in as little as two weeks.
• Frenuloplasty – In cases when additional intervention is needed, or the lingual frenulum is too thick to be removed, a frenuloplasty might be recommended. This procedure is similar to a frenectomy and involves the altering the frenulum tissue to help relieve soft tissue tension and increase tongue mobility.

For more information or questions, contact our practice today. Our friendly staff and knowledgeable doctors at Cumming Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics are more than happy to help.