Tongue Tie
What is tongue tie? Everyone has a thin band of tissue under the tongue where it attaches to the floor of the mouth. This is known as the frenulum. If this band develops in such a way that it tethers the tongue down, preventing the tongue from moving normally, this is known as "tongue tie." Even when tongue tie does occur, with age the frenulum can stretch out, and this often causes no problems whatsoever.
What kinds of problems can this cause? When present, this occasionally causes feeding problems right after birth. If this is the case, it will need to be treated immediately. If the child is over a year old, tongue tie can cause troubles in producing certain sounds of speech if it is left untreated.
Treatment (frenuloplasty): A frenuloplasty is a quick, minimally painful surgery where the frenulum is cut in order to release the tethered tongue.
You can download this useful fact sheet regarding tongue tie.
DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this online website is only intended to provide broad consumer information about CENTA. The information should not be considered complete nor used in place of a visit, telephone call, consultation or advice of a physician or other healthcare provider. CENTA and its healthcare providers do not recommend the self-management of health problems. Information obtained by using this website is not exhaustive and does not cover all diseases, ailments, and physical conditions or their treatment. If you have any health-related questions, please call or see your physician or other healthcare provider promptly. You should not disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
