Abstract
Ankyloglossia or tongue-tie is caused by an abnormally short, thick lingual frenum restricting the normal movements and functions of tongue. The lingual frenum may be fibrous or muscular and the tie may be complete or partial. This article describes the surgical management of an 18 year old female patient with ankyloglossia associated with reduced tongue mobility and speech difficulty. The treatment included frenectomy using a diode LASER accompanied by tongue training exercise and speech therapy. The patient showed increased tongue movements with uneventful healing after six months. Keywords: Ankyloglossia, Lingual frenectomy, Diode LASER.
Highlights
Tongue is a muscular organ with a variety of functions including breast feeding, chewing and articulation of speech
Ankyloglossia (AG) or tongue tie is an oral congenital anomaly characterized by the decreased mobility of tongue tip
Wallace defined tongue‐tie as “a condition in which the tip of the tongue cannot be protruded beyond the lower incisor teeth due to short lingual frenum.”[1]. AG may cause problems that have occurred since birth, including breastfeeding and swallowing to lifelong problems like dysarthria, mechanical and social issues.[2]
Summary
Tongue is a muscular organ with a variety of functions including breast feeding, chewing and articulation of speech. It is the only muscle in the body that has one end attached and the other end is free. Wallace defined tongue‐tie as “a condition in which the tip of the tongue cannot be protruded beyond the lower incisor teeth due to short lingual frenum.”[1] AG may cause problems that have occurred since birth, including breastfeeding and swallowing to lifelong problems like dysarthria, mechanical and social issues.[2]. The prevalence in neonates (1.72%–10.7%) is reported to be higher than in children, adolescents or adults (0.1%– 2.08%).[2] Both genetic and environmental factors are involved in its etiology. Treatment of AG involves a surgical approach, including frenotomy and frenectomy, and a conservative approach, such as “wait-and-see” method
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