Can You Fix Tongue Ties Without Surgery?

Focusing on moving your tongue about the inside of your mouth, you'll quickly discover that you have access to virtually all of its surfaces. This indicates that your tongue is flexible and healthy. By moving our tongues and jaws in such a wide range, we are able to produce a wide variety of speech sounds, easily swallow food, and keep our mouths clean by removing debris. As you may see, there are several issues that might arise if this mobility is restricted. My Baby Nursery is your one-stop baby product store.

A little flap of tissue called the lingual frenulum develops in youngsters. As such, it links the tongue's underside to the floor of the mouth. Tongue-tie, medically referred to as Ankyloglossia, can occur if the lingual frenulum is malformed. There could be an issue with the length and elasticity of the lingual frenulum, or its attachment site could be too close to the tip of the tongue. When this happens, the language is shackled and restricted in its movement. Infants with this disorder have trouble latching on to their mothers' breasts, and they continue to have difficulties with feeding and communication as they get older. Unfortunately, this ailment is not always caught until much later in life, when it is no longer curable but still manageable.

It may seem obvious that you should be able to breastfeed your child, but in reality, this isn't always the case.

It's possible that some infants will have a harder time latching on to breast milk if they have a little, scarcely perceptible additional amount of tissue behind their tongue. If your child has tongue-tied, breastfeeding may be more difficult for both of you. Tongue-tie surgery is a minor treatment that can be recommended by your doctor or lactation consultant to assist alleviate this common problem. Tongue-tie surgery is not recommended by all medical professionals.

What Is A Newborn Tongue Tie?

The frenulum of a newborn, in a condition known as ankyloglossia (from the Greek for "tongue tie" or "tongue" and "tongue"), presses the base of the tongue firmly against the floor of the mouth.

The tongue is fixed to the oral floor by a little flap called the frenulum, which hangs down from the underside of the tongue. (To feel the tissue that connects your tongue to the floor of your mouth, touch the roof of your mouth halfway back with your tongue. (That's your frenulum right there.) The word "frenulum" originates from the Latin for "small bridle," and this tiny harness does just that: it keeps your tongue where it belongs.

To prevent the tongue from sticking out, the frenulum is either too short or too thick in infants with tongue knot. Professionals in the medical and breastfeeding communities have come to appreciate the significant impact that a tongue tie can have on a mother's ability to breastfeed.

Ankyloglossia, or tongue-tie, affects about 10% of infants at birth (mostly boys).

Some of these infants may have trouble establishing a secure latch or suckling in unison. Some infants with tongue-tie may have difficulty nursing, while others may do OK.

The underside of the tongue attaches to the bottom of everyone's mouth via a fold of tissue or membrane. The lingual frenulum is the proper name for this thin membrane (or frenum). Usually, it thins and stretches out or disappears completely before giving birth.

Tongue-tied infants have a frenulum that normally connects the base of the tongue to the floor of the mouth that is either still present or is thick and short. Their speech may become stifled or bound up and unable to flow freely as a result.

Newborns with a tongue-tie may also have trouble breastfeeding, as well as other symptoms.

• Their tongue appears to be shorter or less protruding from their mouth.
• If you look at the tip of their tongue as it goes forwards, it will seem like a heart or take on a different form.
• When raised, their speech sounds as though it were being yanked down in the middle.
• They can only speak to the top of their heads.
• There may be a membrane or other hard tissue connecting the tongue to the bottom of the baby's mouth.

When the membrane of the tongue becomes attached to the rear of the tongue, this is called a posterior tongue-tie. While a posterior tongue-tie may be less obvious to the naked eye, it can nonetheless have negative effects on your child's ability to speak and eat properly.

This Is Why Breastfeeding And Infant Tongue Tie Interfere.

A baby's mouth will open wide, the latch will be made, and the tongue will protrude all while it is breastfeeding. When the language cups the nipple, it darts in and out, sucking the milk from the breast and depositing it at the back of the throat. Therefore, the baby won't be able to suckle as well if the tongue is bound down. She may look like she's sucking, but she's actually only taking a small sip of milk at a time. The infant won't be gaining weight or having frequent bowel movements. Her urine will also darken.

A baby's tongue tie can cause discomfort for the mother as well. The tongue is so cramped that it can't make smooth, lengthy movements. Instead, it moves in tiny, rapid back-and-forth motions, rubbing relentlessly at the same location until the skin is rough and blistered. Mastitis, engorgement, and clogged milk ducts are common complications of tongue-tie because the baby isn't emptying the breast properly.

How Is It Detected?

Usually, the tongue's lingual frenulum becomes detached from the tongue prior to birth. When this bit of tissue does not come loose, the result is a tongue-tie. There is no known cause for this lack of separation, but physicians assume it has a hereditary basis. Babies of both sexes are equally susceptible to tongue tie, but boys have a higher risk due to their larger tongues.

Infants who are breastfed are more likely to have tongue-tie diagnosed at birth. If your baby is having trouble sucking properly or latching on, this could be why. Babies that have trouble sucking often appear irritable during feedings, fail to put on weight normally, and may always seem hungry. These infants try to feed themselves, but their limited range of motion in the sucking reflex makes this task challenging.

Breastfeeding a newborn who has tongue tie is challenging for both the mother and the infant. Babies with tongue ties often create an ineffective sucking action, which can lead to bruising, cracking, and even infection of the mother's nipples, which can have a negative impact on the quality and quantity of breast milk.

Your child's tongue look, and movement can be used to help diagnose a tongue-tie condition. You should see a doctor to confirm that your child has tongue-tie if you notice that he or she cannot move the tongue very far from up or down, side to side, or if the tongue forms a V-shape at the tip when they stick it out.

What Exactly Is Tongue-Tie Surgery?

When a newborn has a tongue tie, the frenulum may need to be clipped or sliced with a laser. This frenotomy (sometimes called a frenectomy) is a quick and easy treatment. Even though the phrase "snipped" may give you the willies, rest assured that the procedure causes no discomfort for the baby and that he or she quickly settles down when nursed. Babies' sucking and swallowing improve rapidly, and mothers report a corresponding decrease in their babies' pain levels.

Tongue-Tie Surgery: Is It Recommended?

Traditionally, doctors have urged parents to immediately schedule tongue-tie surgery for their newborns. They reasoned that if they did this, it would help with nursing issues.

From 1997 to 2012, the number of tongue-tie operations climbed by a factor of ten.

Research on surgery's efficacy has stepped up in recent years. Instead of immediately prescribing surgery, many physicians, including lactation consultants, are now investigating other therapeutic treatments.

Among 115 infants born in 2019, researchers found that after a complete evaluation by a paediatric speech and language pathologist, 63% of the infants did not require tongue-tie surgery to facilitate nursing (SLP).

Other factors, such as: contributed to their feeding difficulties.

• low milk supply
• infant reflux
• poor latching

Breastfeeding problems were resolved without the need for surgery when mothers and fathers worked with a speech-language pathologist to overcome individual obstacles.

However, there is evidence that tongue-tie procedures can be beneficial.

Based on the results of a clinical study conducted in 2019, 116 of 345 infants who experienced difficulties breastfeeding did so because of a tongue-tie. Babies who experienced difficulties breastfeeding were more likely to have a tongue knot.

Thirty infants were operated on for tongue ties. Researchers found that babies with tongue-ties who had surgery were considerably more likely to breastfeed than those who did not.

The benefits and risks of infant tongue-tie surgery are as follows:

Pros

• may be useful in reducing difficulties associated with breastfeeding
• After surgery, infants may have an easier time feeding and gaining weight.
• Nursing parents may be able to avoid nipple soreness.
• may help to avoid oral problems later in life
• may avoid future speech problems

Cons

• possibly would not assist with nursing issues
• threat of infection and subsequent edoema
• eventually might not be required at all
• involves frequent stretching and exercise following surgery to prevent recurrence of the problem

Should Your Baby's Tongue Tie Be Snipped?

Some concerned citizens feel that medical professionals are too quick to perform tongue-tie releases recently. One estimate places the number of tongue-tie procedures in 2012 at around 12,000. This represents a tenfold increase from 1997.

Have we seen too much of a swing in the other direction? From a population of 115 infants referred for tongue-tie surgery, 63 did not end up needing the operation, according to research published in 2019 by the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Another recent study also revealed that breastfeeding was positively impacted, but only in some cases, and that breast pain was reduced in the short term.

Your pediatrician should be consulted if you are experiencing problems nursing because of a newborn tongue tie, including pain in the nipple, frequent engorgement, and other breastfeeding difficulties. If your baby is experiencing discomfort when breastfeeding, your doctor can assist determine whether or not tongue-tie is to blame and provide treatments. Because a baby has got to eat…but mama shouldn’t have to suffer! Online baby product directory at My Baby Nursery

Types Of Tongue-Tie Surgery

The process for releasing a baby's tongue tie is now highly individualised. Further, there is more than one method for releasing a tied tongue.

Frenulums, fortunately, don't contain a lot of nerve endings or blood arteries, thus most people report minimal discomfort and minimal bleeding after surgery.

If you and your healthcare provider decide that tongue-tie surgery is the right choice for your child, they will assist you determine the most appropriate procedure.

An observation on terminology: the terms "frenotomy," "frenectomy," and "frenulectomy" are often used interchangeably. They aren't identical, yet they all serve the same purpose.

Frenotomy

In order to release the tongue, the frenulum is traditionally snipped or sliced using a little scalpel. Most infants can be operated on without putting them to sleep (anaesthesia) and begin nursing soon after. It can take a few days for the wound to heal.

The lingual frenulum is severed during these operations. Holding the tongue towards the roof of the mouth helps tighten the frenulum and makes it visible during this treatment. Along a line parallel to the tongue, a slit is formed in the white, fascia-like tissue. The total is reached rapidly, in a single snapping motion, and no anaesthetic is required for the operation. There is a little possibility of heavy bleeding, but this is unlikely.

Tongue-Tie Laser Surgery

Surgical removal of a tongue tie with a laser is quite similar to traditional frenotomy, with the exception that a scalpel or knife is not required. Making precise incisions or cuts may be easier with the aid of a laser. As a result, the region may bleed less heavily and heal more quickly.

Laser Frenectomy

Surgical method involving the use of lasers to cut the frenulum from the tongue. When compared to traditional surgical cutting procedures, laser surgery is much more efficient and risk-free. As laser frenectomy is a non-invasive surgery, parents can be present to assist comfort their infants. During the surgery, bleeding or infection almost never occurs. Infants experience no downtime or post-surgery difficulties, and they can begin breast-feeding normally right away. Overall, it has been discovered that using a laser yields more precise outcomes and efficiently halts blood flow.

Tongue-Tie Electrocautery

Electrocautery is a type of surgery in which electricity is used to heat tissue and create incisions. The tongue is freed from its binding using electrical current rather than a surgical frenotomy. It could perhaps stop more bleeding and hasten the healing process.

Frenuloplasty

Only severe cases of tongue knot need this type of surgery. It requires dissecting the frenulum and sewing it back together. In order to lengthen the front of the tongue, this surgical treatment involves making an incision, rearranging tissues or adding grafts, and then closing the incision in a particular way. This operation typically requires general anaesthesia because it is more intrusive and is performed on newborns and children who are a little older.

This process is more time-consuming, thus the baby will need to be put to sleep (under anaesthetic). It's possible that a child will require speech therapy or tongue exercises later on to make a full recovery.

Nonsurgical Procedures

Nowadays, tongue-tie can be treated with modern non-invasive techniques. Lactation interventions, which help infants learn to latch on and breastfeed, and speech therapy are two examples of these non-invasive methods.

 Possible Surgery Side Effects And Complications

Your infant may require more time for recovery from tongue-tie surgery in the event of a rare or complicated procedure. Possible problems and adverse effects of the operation include:

• weight loss
• damaged tongue muscles
• dehydration
• breathing problems
• inability to feed
• damaged salivary (spit) glands

Tongue-Tie Surgery Recovery

How quickly your kid recovers after tongue-tie surgery will depend on the severity of the condition and the method used to release the tongue tie.

Healing from certain treatments can take more time than expected, which can further postpone the start of breastfeeding. Alternatively, your infant may recover faster if you resume breastfeeding immediately after surgery.

Whether your infant has surgery with a scalpel or a laser, you will both need to undertake oral exercises and stretches several times a day for several weeks afterwards. Thus, the frenulum is less likely to regenerate in a constrained fashion.

Exercises should be recommended and performed under medical supervision. You'll be stretching an open wound, so it might hurt at first. However, the exercises are crucial to getting good results from the process.

Clinical research conducted in 2018 tracked 30 infants who underwent tongue-tie surgery before the age of 12 weeks. Ninety percent of the women said that their breastfeeding and nipple pain improved right after surgery. Eighty-three percent of mums reported feeling better after two weeks. My Baby Nursery is your one-stop baby product store.

Conclusion

Tongue-tie, or ankyloglossia, is caused by a malformed lingual frenulum. As a result, these babies have trouble nursing. This significantly limits discourse. Tongue-tie affects 10% of babies (mostly boys). Some tongue-tied babies can breastfeed, but others cannot. This is because the frenulum, a flap at the rear of the tongue, connects it to the mouth.

Posterior tongue-tied babies may struggle to speak and swallow. Their tongue may be lodged at the base of their mouth, making breastfeeding difficult. Tongue ties often cause mastitis, engorgement, and clogged milk ducts. Breastfeeding a tongue-tied newborn can be difficult for both mother and child. Tongue-tied babies have problems sucking, which can bruise, crack, and infect the mother's nipples.

Breast milk's nutritional value and supply may decline. Thirty neonates had tongue tie surgery. Surgically received newborns had much higher breastfeeding rates than non-patients. Some estimates put 2012 tongue-tie procedures at 12,000. Tenfold gain since 1997.

Most operations don't require sedating babies (anaesthesia). Laser frenectomy cuts the tongue-soft palate frenulum. Electrofrenuloplasty involves an incision, tissue rearrangement or grafting, and wound closure. Your baby's recovery after tongue tie surgery depends on its severity and the treatment used to release it. Speech therapy and lactation interventions, which teach babies to latch and breastfeed, are non-invasive.

Content Summary

• Focusing on moving your tongue about the interior of your mouth, you'll quickly discover that you have access to virtually all of its surfaces.
• Tongue-tie, medically referred to as Ankyloglossia can occur if the lingual frenulum is malformed.
• If your child has tongue ties, breastfeeding may be more difficult for both of you.
• Tongue-tie surgery is a minor treatment recommended by your doctor or lactation consultant to assist in alleviating this common problem.
• To prevent the tongue from sticking out, the frenulum is either too short or too thick in infants with tongue knots.
• Professionals in the medical and breastfeeding communities have come to appreciate the significant impact a tongue tie can have on a mother's breastfeeding ability.
• Newborns with a tongue tie may also have trouble breastfeeding and other symptoms.
• A membrane or other hard tissue may connect the tongue to the bottom of the baby's mouth.
• When the membrane of the tongue becomes attached to the rear of the tongue, this is called a posterior tongue tie.
• While a posterior tongue tie may be less obvious to the naked eye, it can negatively affect your child's ability to speak and eat properly.
• When the language cups the nipple, it darts in and out, sucking the milk from the breast and depositing it at the back of the throat.
• Usually, the tongue's lingual frenulum becomes detached from the tongue before birth.
• Infants who are breastfed are more likely to have tongue-tie diagnosed at birth.
• If your baby is having trouble sucking properly or latching on, this could be why.
• Breastfeeding a newborn who has a tongue tie is challenging for both the mother and the infant.
• Your child's tongue look and movement can help diagnose a tongue-tie condition.
• When a newborn has a tongue tie, the frenulum may need to be clipped or sliced with a laser.
• Traditionally, doctors have urged parents to schedule tongue-tie surgery for their newborns immediately.
• From 1997 to 2012, the number of tongue-tie operations climbed by a factor of ten.
• Instead of immediately prescribing surgery, many physicians, including lactation consultants, are now investigating other treatments.
• However, there is evidence that tongue-tie procedures can be beneficial.
• Babies who experienced difficulties breastfeeding were more likely to have a tongue knot.
• Researchers found that babies with tongue ties who had surgery were considerably more likely to breastfeed than those who did not.
• The benefits and risks of infant tongue-tie surgery are as follows: it may be useful in reducing difficulties associated with breastfeeding. After surgery, infants may have an easier time feeding and gaining weight.
• Your paediatrician should be consulted if you are experiencing problems nursing because of a newborn tongue tie, including pain in the nipple, frequent engorgement, and other breastfeeding difficulties.
• If your baby is experiencing discomfort when breastfeeding, your doctor can assist in determining whether or not tongue-tie is to blame and provide treatments.
• If you and your healthcare provider decide that tongue-tie surgery is the right choice for your child, they will assist you in determining the most appropriate procedure.
• Surgical removal of a tongue tie with a laser is similar to traditional frenotomy, except that a scalpel or knife is not required.
• Infants experience no downtime or post-surgery difficulties and can begin breastfeeding normally immediately.
• It has been discovered that laser yields more precise outcomes and efficiently halts blood flow.
• The tongue is freed from binding using an electrical current rather than a surgical frenotomy.
• Lactation interventions help infants learn to latch on and breastfeed, and speech therapy is two of these non-invasive methods.
• Your infant may require more time for recovery from tongue-tie surgery in the event of a rare or complicated procedure.
• The operation's possible problems and adverse effects include weight loss, damaged tongue muscles, dehydration, breathing problems, and inability to feed damaged salivary (spit) glands. How quickly your kid recovers after tongue-tie surgery will depend on the severity of the condition and the method used to release the tongue tie.
• Alternatively, your infant may recover faster if you resume breastfeeding immediately after surgery.
• Whether your infant has surgery with a scalpel or a laser, you must undertake oral exercises and stretches several times a day for several weeks afterwards.
• Clinical research in 2018 tracked 30 infants who underwent tongue-tie surgery before 12 weeks.