My dentist says I have a tongue tie. Why should I have this treated?
A tongue tie is when the muscle attachment under the tongue (the frenulum) develops improperly, causing limited movement of the tongue. When this connection is too short, too thin or too tight, the tongue cannot be used properly, creating health consequences.
A normal tongue frenulum allows the tongue, when the mouth is closed, to rest on the top of the mouth with the tip touching the back of the top front teeth. When it is not able to properly rest and move freely it can create a number of problems, which can be silent or recognizable.
Some consequences include speech difficulties, trouble eating, inability to lick an ice cream cone, open-mouth breathing, jaw pain, headaches, forward head posture, snoring, sleep apnea and even ADHD. Other conditions your dentist might be recognizing are delayed orthodontic treatment, orthodontic relapse, improper facial growth, TMJ problems and oral hygiene problems.
It is important to train the tongue with myofunctional therapy before releasing the tie to prepare and strengthen the tongue for the release. It is like having your arm in a sling all your life. If you removed the sling, the muscles would be weak and uncoordinated. If the tongue tie is left untreated, it can cause symptoms and health risks to accumulate.