San Francisco and Marin CA
In the vast majority of cases, someone living with a tongue tie has the issue treated when they are an infant or still very young. However, thousands of adults live with an undiagnosed tongue tie and the associated consequences for decades or even longer. This page contains information on how a tongue tie affects adults and how Glen Park Dental treats this condition.
What you need to know about a tongue tie
Ankyloglossia (the clinical term for a tongue tie) is a condition that occurs when someone has a restricted lingual frenum. This frenum is a strong, thick band of tissue connecting the bottom of the tongue to the floor of the mouth. If someone has a shorter frenum, this is present from birth. It limits the range of motion in the tongue, impeding movement as well as function.
Symptoms of a tongue tie may include:
- Forward head posture
- Feeling constant tension in the cervical vertebrae, neck and/or shoulders
- Grinding or clenching your teeth (clinically known as bruxism)
- Pain in the jaws
- Problems with chewing and swallowing
- Nutritional deficiencies
- The presence of a speech impediment
- Speaking in a low tone of voice or frequently mumbling
- Gagging or choking when swallowing, particularly with certain textured foods
- Digestive issues, such as constipation and stomach aches
- Breathing through the mouth, both when awake or asleep
- Suffering from obstructive sleep apnea or another sleep breathing disorder
- Throat irritation
- Sinus congestion, which may be frequent or chronic.
Snoring and sleep apnea are common
The tongue should rest gently against the roof of the mouth but for someone with a tongue tie, the tongue instead remains low in the mouth. When an adult with a tongue tie lays down, they often open their mouth to facilitate breathing because their tongue obstructs the airway. This airway obstruction can lead to both snoring and sleep apnea. Dry mouth, bad breath, an irritated throat and chronic nasal congestion all can be consequences of this mouth breathing.
Meanwhile, an adult likely has an underdeveloped midface or jaws. Their palate may be too high arched because there was never a stopping mechanism, which usually is provided by the upward option of the tongue. An adult with a tongue tie likely has dealt with a misaligned bite and even may to this day; even if they received orthodontic treatment when they were younger, the tongue tie may have led to orthodontic relapse.
An adult patient with a tongue tie likely has unhealthy eating habits and is more likely to consume a high quantity of processed foods. This is because the tongue tie makes it more difficult to eat foods that take work to chew, such as fresh produce.
Treatment of a tongue tie in adults
Glen Park Dental can perform a frenectomy to release a tongue tie, regardless of the age of the patient. This procedure severs the frenum that causes the tongue tie, restoring full range of motion and complete movement in the tongue. While many adults may hesitate to undergo a frenectomy, discomfort is minimal and the entire procedure can be completed in just a few minutes with our precise dental soft tissue laser.
Following the frenectomy, we will provide detailed after care instructions. We also will connect you with one of the myofunctional therapists on staff, as myofunctional therapy is usually needed for an adult patient with a tongue tie. This is because after years of living with the restricted range of motion in the tongue, an adult patient is highly likely to have developed negative habits to compensate for the limited movement. The exercises performed as part of a course of myofunctional therapy work the tongue in combination with the muscles of the mouth and face. These exercises are simple, relatively painless and, performed over time, correct any negative habits that formed from living with a tongue tie.
Treating tongue ties in adults in San Francisco and Marin in California
If you are an adult with a tongue tie, you have lived with this condition and the associated effects long enough. Dr. Kimberlee Dickerson specializes in the detection and treatment of tongue ties and can perform a frenectomy on patients of any age. To find out more about her services or schedule an evaluation to be screened for a tongue tie, make an appointment at Glen Park Dental today. Just call our office in San Francisco at (415) 585-1500 or contact us online.
