Child Tongue Ties "Ankyloglossia"
TONGUE TIE (LINGUAL FRENULUM)
“Ankyloglossia” commonly referred to as a tongue tie is a string of tissue. This tissue is called the frenulum. It connects from the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth. You can see it if you look under your tongue in a mirror. This tissue can restrict tongue movements essential for talking, breathing, swallowing, eating, drinking, chewing, speech, jaw growth, posture and digestion.
LIP TIE (LABIAL FRENULUM)
Lip tie is a similar band of tissue, called the labial frenulum, that adheres the lip to the gums at a level much higher than normal. This can lead to a gap in between upper front teeth, cavities, inability to close the lips without strain and speech difficulties.
Causes of a Tongue Tie
There have been many such theories and researches behind it, but there is no one concrete reason for it as of today. Some say it's a defect in cellular apoptosis while some say it's hereditary. Interestingly, boys have been found to be more susceptible to have a tongue tie.
Symptoms of a Tongue Tie
Bruised (or) bleeding nipple
Infected nipples / breast / mastitis
Clicking sounds while feeding
Food in faeces
Difficulty in brushing upper front teeth
History of difficulty in breastfeeding
Forward neck and shoulder posture
Sluggish eater / Picky eater / Slow eater
Frequent cold, cough & allergies
Digestive problems – refluxes, colic
Restlessness & lack of attention
Day time sleepiness / Hyperactivity
Diagnose My Child's Tongue Tie
Tongue-tie may be found when looking for causes of a toddler or child’s picky eating, oral habits or speech development. A tongue tie cannot be diagnosed by seeing if the child can stick out the tongue outside the mouth. Evidence based current approach shows that a comprehensive functional assessment of the tongue is essential.
TREATING A TONGUE TIE
After a thorough history taking and clinical examination, depending on the severity of the condition the treatment is advised. In our practice we use the Functional Frenuloplasty procedure to release tongue ties for toddlers, children and adults. This unique and functional approach to tongue ties was established by globally renowned ENT & sleep surgeon Dr. Soroush Zaghi of Breathe Institute, Los Angeles. Dr. Ankita Shah has trained for this approach under Dr. Zaghi and is India's only Ambassador of The Breathe Institute.
The success of this practice is based on our ability to provide a complete and effective release of tethered oral tissues (fascia) by incorporating a multidisciplinary protocol that integrates myofunctional therapy (and sometimes physical therapy) both before, during, and after surgery. Our tongue-tie release procedure is based on precision: releasing the appropriate extent of tissues for maximal relief; not too much, and not too little.
Risks of An Untreated Tie
Selective in chewing solid foods
Improper jaw growth
Long term bed wetting
Hyperactivity / Lack of attention (ADD & ADHD)
Snoring / Noisy breathing
Frequent nasal allergies and throat infections
Picky eating/ Slow eating
The above mentioned risks are examples of observed changes in children. NOT ALL TIES SHOW all the above mentioned risks. It takes an experienced provider to thoroughly investigate the tongue function and symptoms associated with each tie.