Tongue Tie
Tongue-tie or ankyloglossia, is a condition present at birth that restricts the tongue’s range of motion. This can cause difficulties with sticking out your tongue, eating, maintaining dental health, speaking/articulating appropriately and swallowing. It can also interfere when a child is breastfeeding, making it hard for the baby to suck and painful for the the mother during feeding.
While the cause is unknown, it is believed to be associated with certain genetic factors. Some doctors prefer to take a wait-and-see approach, as the band of tissue may loosen over time, but most prefer to surgically correct the condition if it is causing symptoms. Treatment will depend on the severity of the tongue-tie, and can often be addressed with a simple in-office procedure during infancy. Older children or adults may require sedation to accomplish correction of the tongue tie.
If you believe you or your child suffer from this condition, we can help! Call DeFatta ENT & Allergy at (715) 828-2368 for more information or to schedule an appointment.
