Ankyloglossia/Tongue Tie
Ankyloglossia, also known as tongue-tie, is a condition where the frenulum, a small tissue under the tongue that connects it to the floor of the mouth, is abnormally short or tight. This can restrict tongue movement and impact functions like sucking, swallowing, and speaking.
Myofunctional therapy can be a valuable tool alongside or even before surgical intervention for ankyloglossia. Here's how they work together:
Ankyloglossia and its effects:
- Restricted tongue movement can make it difficult for infants to breastfeed
- In children and adults, it can lead to speech difficulties, swallowing problems, and mouth breathing issues.
- Ankyloglossia can also contribute to improper oral hygiene due to difficulty cleaning the tongue properly.
Treatment for Ankyloglossia:
- Frenectomy: This is a minor surgical procedure to release the frenulum and improve tongue mobility.
- Myofunctional Therapy: This therapy helps retrain the muscles of the tongue and mouth to function properly after a frenectomy or even if surgery is not performed.
Benefits of Myofunctional Therapy for Ankyloglossia:
- Improved Tongue Range of Motion: Exercises can help increase tongue flexibility and range of movement, even after a frenectomy.
- Strengthened Oral Muscles: Myofunctional therapy can strengthen the muscles around the tongue, improving overall oral function.
- Restored Sucking, Swallowing, and Speech: By retraining the tongue muscles, therapy can help normalize sucking, swallowing, and speech patterns that might have been affected by ankyloglossia.
- Better Breathing Habits: Myofunctional therapy can promote nasal breathing and reduce mouth breathing in some cases.
Who Can Benefit:
- Infants with ankyloglossia who have difficulty breastfeeding.
- Children and adults who have undergone a frenectomy and need to retrain their oral muscles.
- Individuals with ankyloglossia who experience speech difficulties, swallowing problems, or mouth breathing, even if they haven't had surgery.