Ankyloglossia

The lingual frenulum is a fold of tissue that attaches the ventral surface of the tongue to the floor of the mouth. Embryologically, the tongue separates from the floor of the mouth through apoptosis, with the frenulum being the remaining anchoring tissue at birth. Ankyloglossia, or tongue-tie, occurs when the frenulum is unusually anterior, thick, tight, or short, resulting in limitation of the tongue’s mobility. The prevalence of tongue-tie has most often been reported in the range of 3% to 4% of infants, with a male predominance ranging as high as 2.6:1. Clinical manifestations of tongue-tie depend on the age of the child and vary in severity. In infancy, children present with feeding difficulties, most commonly inability to latch onto the breast, and the nursing mother may well experience nipple pain. The American Academy of Pediatrics has persistently emphasized the numerous health and emotional benefits of breastfeeding for both the...