From a young age, your dentist and parental figures may have emphasized the importance of a well-rounded preventive dental routine, and how it is necessary to keep your smile healthy and happy. Indeed, seeking effective care sooner rather than later will certainly pave the way for a sturdier grin, but it is important to recognize that some conditions or experiences may be out of your control. In today’s blog, your Prairie Village, KS prosthodontist explores the not-so-common phenomenon known as tongue-tie, and how a frenectomy can provide treatment that prioritizes your oral health.
Reduced Range of Motion
Do you have trouble speaking or eating due to limited mobility of the tongue? If so, you should schedule an appointment to visit your dentist to determine if you have a condition known as tongue-tie. Ankyloglossia, more commonly referred to as tongue-tie, is a condition that some individuals are born with and constitutes minimal mobility of the tongue.
When looking in the mirror, you will see a band of tissue that connects the bottom of the tongue to the floor of the mouth, which is known as the lingual frenulum. In people who have tongue-tie, the frenulum is short, thick, or even taut. As a result, the person will have minimal mobility of their tongue.
Some telltale signs or symptoms that you may be affected by tongue-tie include speech problems. Because the tongue is essentially bounded to the floor of the mouth, it may have difficulty reaching the roof or upper portion of the mouth to enunciate certain letters. These include t, d, z, s, r, l, or words with “th”. You may also have difficulty eating, drinking, speaking, kissing, and even breathing. To learn more about this condition, reach out to our team today.
The Impact on Your Health
In addition to speech complications, patients experiencing tongue-tie could endure a number of health complications. For instance, the inability to reach the top teeth could cause issues brushing food debris off of your teeth, thus increasing your chances of developing bacterial concerns such as decay and plaque buildup. What’s more? Tongue-tie causes your body to adapt to situations and could lead to incorrect swallowing patterns. As a result, you could develop TMJ disorder or even sleep apnea. Reach out to our team to learn more.
Seeking Necessary Treatment
While mild cases of tongue-tie might not readily affect you much, major cases should be treated in order to better enhance your quality of life. Indeed, a frenectomy is a surgery that involves carefully removing the frenulum to allow your tongue a free range of motion.
Learn More Today
To learn more about oral and maxillofacial concerns and how our team can help, contact Dr. Stuart Dexter, Prosthodontist in Prairie Village, KS by calling 913-362-8200 to schedule your next appointment with our team today.