ANKYLOGLOSSIA (TONGUE-TIE)

Course overview

ANKYLOGLOSSIA, ALSO KNOWN AS TONGUE-TIE, IS A CONDITION THAT IMPAIRS TONGUE MOVEMENT DUE TO A RESTRICTIVE LINGUAL FRENULUM. MULTIPLE SPECIALTIES WITHIN MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY ARE INVOLVED IN THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF THIS CONDITION. ANKYLOGLOSSIA MAINLY IMPAIRS BREASTFEEDING AND HAS ALSO BEEN LINKED WITH SPEECH DISORDERS, MALOCCLUSION, AND GINGIVAL RECESSION. MANAGEMENT OF ANKYLOGLOSSIA REMAINS CONTROVERSIAL. IF SURGICAL TREATMENT IS DECIDED, FRENOTOMY IS THE MOST COMMON PROCEDURE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE AVAILABLE DATA REGARDING THE ETIOLOGY, EPIDEMIOLOGY, AND COMMON CLINICAL FINDINGS OF ANKYLOGLOSSIA. IT ALSO DESCRIBES THE CURRENT EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR PATIENTS WITH ANKYLOGLOSSIA; IDENTIFIES THE DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSES, PROGNOSIS, AND COMPLICATIONS; AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ANKYLOGLOSSIA.