Tongue tie, called ankyloglossia, means that the tissue connecting the floor of the mouth and the tongue is shorter than normal. This situation, which is present from birth, can bring along many different problems over time. Although some children born with tongue-tie do not show any symptoms, it generally results in the inhibition of tongue movements.
What is a tongue tie?
Tongue tie is the condition that defines the restriction of tongue movements due to the structure called lingual frenulum being shorter than normal. The lingual frenulum is the tissue that provides the connection between the floor of the mouth and the tongue. The formation of this condition with a thin tongue tie is seen in moderate cases, while in some severe cases, the tongue may be fixed at the floor of the mouth due to a thick tongue tie.
Tongue tie may cause problems in functions such as feeding, speaking and swallowing in children over time.
How to Identify a Tongue Tie?
Tongue tie can be detected during the routine examination immediately after birth, but it should be noted that this detection is not that easy and can sometimes be missed. Understanding of sublingual ligament cases in babies that are overlooked during birth is usually during the first breastfeeding. At this time, the baby's tongue rests on the lower gums and protects the nipple. Babies with tongue-tie can cause problems with sucking, which can negatively affect the feeding of babies. At the same time, symptoms such as drying and cracking may occur in the nipple. Some babies can suppress feeding problems to some extent by making the sucking action stronger. However, it should be noted that these babies also have less mouth opening.
Worsening of oral hygiene is another problem seen in children with tongue-tie. Tongue tie, which can make it difficult to clean the food residues in the lower part of the teeth with the tongue, can prepare the ground for intraoral problems such as dental caries, tooth loss and gingivitis over time.
In addition to this baby-related symptom, wounds and cracks may occur on the nipples of women who are breastfeeding. At the same time, a decrease in the mother's milk may occur due to the lack of effective sucking. It should be noted that breastfeeding-related problems can occur due to many different situations. It is recommended that women who have any complaints in this regard apply to health institutions and get support from specialists.
Does Tongue Tie in Babies Go On By Itself?
In some children with tongue tie, some relaxation may occur in this structure over time. In other children, tongue-tie usually continues, causing problems with feeding and speech. This condition, which is detected in approximately 4-11% of newborns, is more common in boys than girls.
The emergence of nutritional problems is detected in about half of these children. The presence of the tongue tie on the floor of the mouth and the tip of the tongue may cause the tongue tip to have a blunt, bifurcated or heart-shaped appearance. However, tongue tie is not always easily detectable and the connection of the tongue and the floor of the mouth can occur at any point.
In general, the short tongue tie in the front is more easily detected than other regions. The tongue tie at the back occurs in the deeper parts of the mouth. Appear with tongue tie in the anterior region and tongue tie in the posterior region The complaints are generally similar to each other. Detection of tongue-tie can be easily done by examining the babies with physical examination in women who have complaints about this condition.
The approach called “Coryllos grading” is used in the classification of tongue-tie cases. According to this classification, Type 1 ankyloglossia cases describe babies in which the tongue tie is thin and elastic between the tip of the tongue and the protrusion of the lower teeth. In type 2 frenulum cases, the tongue tie is thin and elastic. In this type of tongue-tie cases, the attachment point is 2-4 millimeters higher than in type 1 tongue-tie cases.
In babies with type 3 tongue-tie, this structure is thick and solid. In this type of tongue-tie cases, it is determined that the tongue-tie fixes the tongue from the middle parts to the floor of the mouth. In type 4 ankyloglossia cases, the tongue tie is at the back of the tongue and may not be visible from the outside. However, when physicians touch the back of the tongue with their fingertips during physical examination, a structure that is tight and fixes the tongue is felt there. In addition to this classification system created according to the localization of the tongue tie, it is recommended that physicians grade the ankyloglossia cases by considering the ability to move the tongue.
How is Tongue Tie Treatment in Babies?
Tongue Tie Treatment in Babies It may come to the fore in case of severe complaints. In non-symptomatic children, the child is generally followed up with regular controls without any action. In cases where treatment decision is made, a procedure called frenectomy is applied. The time to perform frenectomy is usually within the first 6-18 days of life. Children older than 6 months may need anesthesia for this procedure. Tongue tie surgery recovery period is approximately 10 days and during this period, complaints such as restlessness may occur in babies.
How Tongue Tie Surgery Is Performed?
Frenectomy, which is a very simple surgical procedure, can be performed with or without anesthesia, depending on the condition of the child. Before the procedure, physicians first perform tongue lifting in order to examine the structure of the lingual frenulum.
Tightened tongue tie in this way Incisions are made parallel to the floor of the mouth with sterile scissors or a surgical instrument. This procedure, which can be done very quickly, does not cause any significant discomfort due to the presence of very few nerve endings and blood vessels in the relevant area.
The bleeding that occurs is usually in the form of drips and can be controlled with light pressure applications. Babies can be breastfed easily after the procedure. In cases where the tongue tie is too thick for frenectomy procedure, an extra repair procedure called frenuloplasty can also be applied.
Cuting the tongue tie and thus releasing the tongue is a very safe and simple procedure, and it can be very important in terms of eliminating various complaints that may occur, especially problems related to breastfeeding. In case of problems experienced during breastfeeding or if you detect symptoms suggesting that your child has tongue-tie, it is recommended to seek support from specialist physicians by applying to health institutions. . You can use the contact form on our website to reach us.
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