Management of ankyloglossia using electrosurgery: A case series

Abstract

Ankyloglossia, or tongue tie, is a congenital oral anomaly with short, tight and thick lingual frenum which may restrict mobility of tongue and may subsequently lead to a range of problems such as difficulties in breast feeding during infancy, difficulty in mastication, speech impairment, poor oral hygiene, malocclusion, behaviour problems during childhood, adolescence and even adulthood. In this case series, four adult patients with ankyloglossia were treated by performing lingual frenectomy using electrosurgery followed by post-operative recall and speech therapy. A marked improvement in tongue movement and speech was observed at follow-up visits in all the treated cases. Electrosurgery proved to be a safe, reliable, effective and patient-friendly alternative treatment option for ankyloglossia.