Tongue Tie, Frenectomy, and Speech

Tongue ties are conditions that occur during childhood and can affect eating, speech, and even breathing. The tie can be an unusually short, thick, or tight band of tissue that “ties” the tongue to the floor of the mouth. Depending on the type and severity of the tie, there are methods for remediating the issue.

An untreated tongue tie can cause a variety of impairments, both for the child and for the weaning mother. The primary issue with a tongue tie, is the reduced mobility of the tongue.

Tongue (and Lip) Ties can impact various daily activities, from feeding to speech articulation. In some cases, the decision to surgically release the tie may be made between the family, their physician, and a speech-language pathologist. There are a variety of procedures and methods of remediation.

The frenulum plays an important role in restricting the movement of the tongue and lips within the mouth. It is a band of tissue consisting of mucosa and elastic fibers that connects a loose or free moving part to a rigid part of the mouth. Frenotomy, frenectomy and frenuloplasty are procedures that are carried out to correct any anomalies in this attachment.

Deciding how to resolve a tongue tie is ideally done in collaboration with a physician and speech-language pathologist trained in the techniques available. Some tongue ties require surgery to release them, and others do not. In many cases, treatment by a speech-language pathologist will be needed to aid in retraining speech articulation and feeding skills.