What is a tongue tie and how do you know if it is shortened?
The lingual frenulum is a tissue membrane that is located on the underside of the tongue and connects it centrally to the floor of the mouth.
Normally, the tongue should be very mobile; it should be able to be extended far out and should rest comfortably against the roof of the mouth. If this is not possible, the lingual frenulum is shortened, so there is a symptomatic lingual frenulum and the tongue function is impaired.
What are the common symptoms of shortening?
- Problems with breastfeeding
- Problems drinking from the milk bottle
- Breastfeeding causes pain for the mother
- Breastfeeding lasts a long time
- the baby often has flatulence because it swallows a lot of air while breastfeeding
- swallowing doesn't work
- Speech articulation disorders: letters/words cannot be pronounced correctly
- snoring
If one or more of these points apply to you, you can get free advice from our specialists!
When should treatment of a symptomatic tension band occur?
For infants, the ideal age is as soon as possible after birth, ideally up to 3 months. In principle, a shortened tongue tie can be treated up to 9 months. In small children, it is only possible once compliance is present.
What are the consequences if a tongue tie is shortened and not treated?
For example, babies cannot coordinate sucking, swallowing and breathing. This means that the mother has difficulty latching onto the nipple, experiences pain when breastfeeding or even damages the nipple. This affects milk transfer, milk supply is insufficient and the baby does not gain enough weight. In addition, the affected babies often sleep with their mouths open. This means that the upper jaw does not develop properly and the middle face does not form properly. In the long term, speech and swallowing problems can occur and dental problems can occur more frequently, as mouth breathing promotes the development of caries.
How is it decided whether cutting the symptomatic tongue tie makes sense or not?
Whether the tongue tie should be severed is a decision that must be made on an individual basis. If a shortened tongue tie is diagnosed in an infant, it is always advisable to have it severed. Children only benefit from the correct tongue position as they grow; their swallowing pattern and overall dental, bite and facial development are all positively influenced by this. However, if no symptoms of a shortened tongue tie are observed in an older child, no treatment is necessary. Even if problems occur later in older patients, symptomatic tongue ties can still be treated.
How is the shortened tongue tie treated?
If a midwife, lactation consultant, pediatrician, speech therapist, etc. suspects a short or symptomatic frenulum or tongue tie, the little patient will be referred to a practice that specializes in the treatment of shortened lip and tongue ties.
If the suspicion is confirmed by numerous tests and a diagnosis of a shortened tongue tie is made, a frenectomy (treatment of a shortened lip or tongue tie) is carried out. This involves using a super-pulsed CO2 laser to separate the tissue membrane, the frenulum, in order to free the tongue from the floor of the mouth. Newborns are anesthetized locally with an anesthetic gel. For older patients, local anesthesia can also be used.
Frenectomy carries little risk and results in greatly improved function postoperatively. Before and after the treatment, babies receive individual aftercare, manual therapy and bodywork, which we are also happy to carry out together with midwives, lactation consultants or speech therapists.
heyzahn pediatric dentist
Dr. med. dent. Anna Wechsler
Ground floor
Verdistrasse 74, 81247 Munich
Obermenzing-Pasing
+49 89 97313969
info@heyzahn.de
heyzahn orthodontist
Dr. med. dent. Yvonne Ewen
Ground floor
Verdistrasse 74, 81247 Munich
Obermenzing-Pasing
+49 89 97313969
info@heyzahn.de
heylogo speech therapy
Franziska Jargon
2nd Floor
Verdistrasse 74, 81247 Munich
Obermenzing-Pasing
+4917657882284
info@heylogo.de