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Adult Tongue Ties “Ankyloglossia”

TONGUE TIE (LINGUAL FRENULUM)

“Ankyloglossia” commonly referred to as a tongue tie is a string of tissue. This tissue is called the frenulum. It connects from the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth. You can see it if you look under your tongue in a mirror. This tissue can restrict tongue movements essential for talking, breathing, swallowing, eating, drinking, chewing, speech, jaw growth, posture and digestion.

tongue tie in adults

LIP TIE (LABIAL FRENULUM)

Lip tie is a similar band of tissue, called the labial frenulum, that adheres the lip to the gums at a level much higher than normal. This can lead to a gap in between upper front teeth, cavities, inability to close the lips without strain and speech difficulties.

Lip tie in adults

Causes of a Tongue Tie

There have been many such theories and researches behind it, but there is no one concrete reason for it as of today. Some say it’s a defect in cellular apoptosis while some say it’s hereditary. Interestingly, men have been found to be more susceptible to have a tongue tie.

SYMPTOMS OF A TONGUE TIE

Mouth Breathing

Noisy breathing or Snoring

Sleep apnea

Clenching and grinding their teeth

Eating slowly or gulping big chunks of food

Difficulty swallowing or tongue thrusting

Incorrect facial and jaw development

Tingling in calves and feet

Deep palate

Crooked teeth

Speech problems in Adult

Acid Reflux

Orofacial pain and TMJ dysfunction

Headaches, shoulder, neck and back pain

Tightness in the chest

Pronated feet

Diagnose My Tongue Tie

Tongue-tie may be found when looking for causes of a TMD/orofacial pain, clenching of teeth, snoring, disturbed sleep and breathing and poorly developed jaw growth and teeth alignment. There are also other signs beyond just the appearance of the tongue, on the face and body, that only a well trained professional can assess. There are also several related issues stem from a tongue restriction that include the airway, posture, and sleep, which is why a comprehensive functional assessment of the tongue is essential.

Is My Tongue Tied?

Adult tongue ties may be found when searching for the causes of,

TMD/orofacial pain

Clenching of teeth

Snoring

Disturbed sleeping

Breathing issues

Poorly developed jaw growth and Teeth Alignment

Speech problems in adults



TREATING A TONGUE TIE

After a thorough history taking and clinical examination, depending on the severity of the condition the treatment is advised. In our practice we use the Functional Frenuloplasty procedure to release tongue ties for toddlers, children and adults. This unique and functional approach to tongue ties was established by globally renowned ENT & sleep surgeon Dr. Soroush Zaghi of Breathe Institute, Los Angeles. Dr. Ankita Shah has trained for this approach under Dr. Zaghi and is India’s only Ambassador of The Breathe Institute.

Our tongue-tie release procedure is based on precision: releasing the appropriate extent of tissues for maximal relief; not too much, and not too little. The success of our practice is based on our ability to provide a complete and effective release of tethered oral tissues by incorporating a multidisciplinary protocol that integrates myofunctional therapy (and sometimes physical therapy) both before, during, and after surgery. You also need to undergo physical therapy rehabilitation after the surgery for your muscle-balance-posture is retrained.

Dr. Ankita Shah
Dr. Shah is the Only Indian Ambassador of
The Breathe Institute
Trained in the Functional Frenuloplasty
Procedure by Dr. Soroush Zaghi

Dr. Ankita Shah

RISKS OF AN UNTREATED TIE

Eating slowly or gulping big chunks of food

Difficulty swallowing or tongue thrusting

Incorrect facial and jaw development

Speech problems

Acid Reflux

Orofacial pain and TMJ dysfunction

Headaches, shoulder, neck and back pain

Tightness in the chest

Tingling in calves and feet

Clenching and grinding their teeth

Poor quality of life

Forward neck and shoulder posture

Moody Behavior

Anxiety

Snoring/ Noisy breathing

Frequent nasal congestion

Mouth Breathing

Noisy breathing or Snoring

Sleep apnea

The above mentioned risks are examples of observed changes in adults. NOT ALL TIES SHOW all the above mentioned risks. It takes an experienced provider to thoroughly investigate the tongue function and symptoms associated with each tie.

Our Advanced & Globally Renowned Tongue Tie Procedures:

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