What is Tongue-Tie?
Tongue-tie isn’t just a figure of speech for when someone can’t quite get their words to flow. It is a real medical condition that can have dramatic effects on oral development – when the tongue is physically attached to the floor of the mouth, speech can also be severely impacted.
A tongue-tie is a piece of tissue under the tongue that connects it to the floor of the mouth. This piece of tissue is called a frenum, and everyone has one. In some people, it’s tighter than it should be, and this is where all the problems come in.
How Can I Help?
When someone is tongue-tied, they need to have their tongue released through a simple surgical procedure called a frenectomy. I examine every patient for tongue-tie, and confirm whether or not the procedure would be beneficial.
If surgery is needed, it is crucial to perform a series of exercises before and after the procedure. I give patients specific exercises to practice in the two weeks leading up to surgery.
The most important day however, is the one after surgery. At this point, I check that everything is healing properly, and introduce additional exercises to strengthen and develop the tongue’s new mobility.
So many people have the surgery done but are unhappy with the results because the muscles in the tongue have actually never been used properly. These muscles need to be activated through therapy so that the tongue doesn’t heal back into its original place.
I coordinate my therapy with your dentist or oral surgeon to make sure that your treatment is timed perfectly.
Contact me today for a tongue-tie evaluation.
