Ankyloglossia: The Diagnostic Dilemma

Abstract

Ankyloglossia or tongue-tie refers to a minor anomaly in the attachment of the membrane or frenum that attaches the tongue to the floor of the mouth, which may interfere with normal function and mobility of the tongue. This article focuses on how to identify and diagnose infant ankyloglossia. Also in this article, we have discussed an instrument fabricated by the team for clear retraction and visualization of posterior ankyloglossia.

Lingual Frenulum Phenotypes in Brazilian Infants With Congenital Zika Syndrome

“…Many studies do not describe the use of specific tongue maneuvers or devices to diagnose the presence/absence of a lingual frenulum, suggesting visual inspection or the use of simple elevation maneuver as a means for diagnosis. Along these lines, different devices and/or tools have been used to aid in the assessment of lingual frenulum insertion and anatomy, such as metal grooved elevator (Benoiton et al, 2016), groove director (Chu and Bloom, 2009), the Pradhan retraction device (Pradhan et al, 2013), the Hazelbaker assessment tool for lingual frenulum function (Hazelbaker, 2010), the Bristol tongue assessment tool (Ingram et al, 2015), Murphy maneuver (Pradhan et al, 2013), among others. Therefore, there are various methods that may be used to assess the presence/absence of ankyloglossia, and the lack of a standardized assessment tool may explain the insufficient agreement between studies.…”

“…Diagnosis of a submucous frenulum is often challenged by the need for proper tongue maneuver to provide visibility. In these situations, the lingual frenulum is frequently concealed behind a curtain-like mucous membrane (Chu and Bloom, 2009; Hong et al, 2010; Pradhan et al, 2012; Pradhan et al, 2013), thereby rendering a subtle appearance or no clinical sign of its presence by simple visual inspection. In our experience, appropriate tongue maneuver is essential for adequate visualization of an apparently absent lingual frenulum.…”