Tongue-Tie Surgery

Surgery for Tongue Tie

We know that this can be a very touchy subject – but we are all about sharing high-quality information and research. Let’s talk about ‘tongue-tie’.

Tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) is a condition present at birth that restricts the tongue’s range of motion. With tongue-tie, an unusually short, thick or tight band of tissue (lingual frenulum) tethers the bottom of the tongue’s tip to the floor of the mouth.

There has been a very high increase in ‘corrective surgery’ in infants to release the labial or buccal frena in recent years. In a small number of cases, surgery is genuinely required; however, many experts have voiced concern that too many recommendations have been made for surgery without first turning to non-surgery management.

So here is the latest Ankyloglossia and Oral Frena Consensus Statement statement released by the Australian Dental Association and made in association with an expert multidisciplinary panel of health professionals.

It is VERY comprehensive and we urge all parents to familiarise themselves with this document.

Please read the FULL DOCUMENT HERE – but these paragraphs stand out…

Surgical management should not take place without the presence of a well-defined structural problem, which is causing functional issues. Likewise, surgical management should not be undertaken based on speculation about future problems despite lack of current problems.

There is insufficient evidence to support the surgical release of the labial or buccal frena in infants to assist with breastfeeding difficulties, speech outcomes, or orthodontic issues including midline diastema closure.

Ankyloglossia and Oral Frena Consensus Statement – Australian Dental Association