Adult Tongue Tie
A tongue tie is when the movement of the tongue is restricted by a tightening of the soft tissue under the tongue. This can make certain movements difficult. We offer surgical treatment for adult tongue tie can help create better range of motion for the tongue.
What is a tongue tie?
Under your tongue is a fold of soft tissue that connects the tongue to the base of the mouth. This is called the lingual frenum and everybody has one. When the lingual frenum is visually tight, short or restricted, it can cause problems with certain movements that require the tongue.
Signs you may have a tongue tie
A small percentage of people are born with a tongue tie. It does not always cause problems and you may not know you have one until it is pointed out by a dentist.
Babies with a tongue tie often experience difficulties with breastfeeding. Surgical treatment for children is an option, however, the lingual frenulum can loosen over time and there is no way to tell whether your child will develop issues in the future.
In adults, limited tongue mobility can cause a range of issues including:
Difficulty with breathing, speaking, eating, drinking or kissing.
Problems with swallowing completely due to restricted tongue movement.
Issues with sleeping and snoring including sleep apnoea.
Restricted movement can make it difficult to move food around the mouth as you eat.
This can lead to oral health problems including inflamed gums (gingivitis), pain in your temporomandibular joints (TMJ) and tooth decay.
Tongue exercises can help relieve these symptoms and improve your range of movement and use of the tongue.
Surgical treatment for adult tongue tie
For infants and children, we recommend trying non-surgical treatments first before considering surgery for a tongue tie. This may include consulting with other health professionals for support with breastfeeding or speech development.
For adults experiencing problems with a tongue tie, we can explore surgery as an option.
Tongue tie surgery is called a frenectomy. It is a very simple procedure that involves cutting with lingual frenum to release the tongue tie. We can perform the procedure in our practice and you can return to your normal activities soon after your appointment.
In rare cases where the lingual frenulum is very thick, we may refer you to an oral surgeon.
