If the frenulum of tongue is too short

Almost everyone is born with what is known as a "frenulum of the tongue". This is the connection between the floor of the mouth and the tongue. Normally, the lingual frenulum starts a few millimetres behind the tip of the tongue - then everything is fine. However, there are also clearly shortened frenulum of the tongue. These are so short that the tip of the tongue is pulled inwards in a heart shape, creating a kind of notch. This is called an ankyloglosson and must be corrected. The necessary procedure consists of cutting this frenulum to create more space.

However, the (alleged) shortening is often ambiguous. It is difficult to assess, as there is no objective measure to determine when the frenulum is really too short. There are also no objective symptoms that can be attributed to a shortened frenulum of the tongue, such as drinking difficulties or failure to thrive. In some cases, reference is made to later speech acquisition at baby age, but the data is extremely thin on the subject.

Although cutting the frenulum of the tongue is a quick and usually harmless procedure, the decision to do so should not be made completely rashly or too quickly. My perception from recent years in practice is that many parents tend to make the decision to cut the frenulum too quickly.

To summarise, it can therefore be said that under no circumstances should the tongue tie be cut too hastily or too rashly. You should also consult your paediatrician. Ideally, they will refer you to an oral surgeon who will give you professional advice. If you decide to have an operation, it is important that it is carried out by professional hands.