Tongue tie genetic disease

The main clinical manifestation of a short tongue tie is that the tongue cannot be retracted or stretched normally, and its use in the mouth is not smooth. It is often pulled and curled up, affecting the normal chewing and pronunciation functions. A short tongue tie will make people feel particularly slow when eating. It is impossible to determine whether this is hereditary, but it can be treated through surgery.

Clinical manifestations

The tongue cannot extend forward freely and normally. The part of the tongue that extends out of the mouth is not as long as that of a normal child. When the tongue extends forward, the tip of the tongue becomes concave due to being pulled by the frenulum, and the tip of the tongue becomes W-shaped (when a normal person extends the tongue, the tongue is in a V-shape). It may also affect breastfeeding or cause ulcers due to friction with the lower front teeth. When a child opens his mouth, the tip of his tongue cannot curl up and cannot lick the upper gum and palate. When he grows older, it will affect his normal pronunciation and also affect his chewing function. People with a short frenulum have difficulty chewing due to the small space for the tongue to move. They chew very slowly and swallow more food.

examine

The main local examination is to check whether the tongue can be extended forward, the tip of the tongue can be lifted up, and the movement of touching the upper gum and palate can be completed.

treat

1. Surgery

(1) If the frenulum is short and thin (the tissue contains fewer blood vessels and nerves), a frenulum incision can be performed without anesthesia to apply pressure to stop bleeding;

(2) If the frenulum is short and thick (the tissue contains many blood vessels and nerves), it must be incised and sutured under anesthesia to stop bleeding. If a child aged 1 to 2 years old does not cooperate, surgery must be performed under general anesthesia. If a child around 3 years old can basically communicate and cooperate, tongue frenulum plasty can be performed under local anesthesia.

2. Voice training

After the operation, language training and tongue-lifting and palate-lifting exercises should also be strengthened.