Ankyloglossia: Still a Matter of Controversy |Biomedgrid

Symptomatic Ankyloglossia (a.k.a. tongue-tie) is defined as a short or anterior lingual frenulum that interferes with normal tongue mobility. Recently, there has been a renewed interest amongst healthcare providers regarding the importance of ankyloglossia in clinical practice and its role in breastfeeding difficulties. Despite the attempts of prior studies, there is no consensus on the optimal way to diagnose and manage ankyloglossia. Several classification systems have been published, but none are consistently used and many are difficult for routine clinical applications. Moreover, there is a lack of objective data defining the impairment caused by ankyloglossia or demonstrating efficacy of interventions aimed to treat ankyloglossia. With the ongoing promotion of breast feeding by the US Surgeon General and the American Association of Pediatrics as the primary feeding modality for infants, studying the mechanics, classifications, and outcomes of interventions related to ankyloglossia is an ongoing priority among pediatric healthcare providers.