Ankyloglossia or Lingual Frenulum
The sublingual frenulum is a mucous membrane located under the tongue, in the shape of a semilunar and very resistant whose function is to limit the movements of the tongue. If it weren't for this frenulum, we could die swallowing our tongues, that's where its great importance lies. The frenulum is not the same in all cases, it can be flexible or inflexible, soft tissue or fibrous, long or short, visible or invisible and the characteristics of each one have a direct and different influence on the degree of mobility of the tongue. The point of insertion of the frenulum into the tongue can also vary considerably, but there is one thing we must be clear about: a short frenulum can NOT lengthen with growth.
It is important to check the mobility of the tongue in babies as this ability is essential for proper breastfeeding and subsequent physical development. A baby who does not suck properly will not grow or gain the necessary weight. In addition, the language is not only important for the feeding process, but also determines the proper development of the entire oral cavity, so some dysfunction will affect areas such as dentition, speech, breathing and may even determine the propensity to suffer chronic problems such as dental malocclusion, otitis, sinusitis, and so on. In older children there are articulatory problems in some sounds such as /r/, /rr/, /l/, /t/, /d/, /n/, /s/ and /z/. In addition to difficulties in the emotional and social area.
What is frenectomy?
Frenectomy is the surgery that removes the abnormal frenulum. The lingual frenulum is little vascularized and innervated, so if it is necessary to cut it offers little resistance, barely bleeds and does not hurt. However, on all occasions when a person has a short lingual frenulum, frenectomy is recommended. If the patient has adequate mobility, he or she will be able to articulate all the sounds of speech. There is an evaluation protocol that the speech therapy professional will apply to the patient and the patient will recommend whether or not it is necessary, as well as the intervention plan to follow. Remember to consult a professional if you have any questions.