Solve Feeding and Speech Impediments in Seconds: Tongue Tie (Ankyloglossia) Removal
Does your baby tire easily, cry, or have difficulty pronouncing letters like "R, S, L" while breastfeeding? Tongue-tie, a problem that often frightens families, is actually an anatomical issue that can be resolved with a simple, bloodless procedure lasting only minutes. We remove this small obstacle to your child's feeding, speech, and self-confidence development with a gentle touch.
What is Tongue Tie (Ankyloglossia) and Why Should It Be Treated?
The thin mucous membrane that connects the underside of our tongue to the floor of our mouth is called the "frenulum." If this membrane becomes shorter, thicker, or remains attached to the very tip of the tongue while the baby is developing in the womb, it is called "tongue tie (ankyloglossia)." A baby with tongue tie cannot extend their tongue sufficiently and lift it towards their palate. This restriction causes the newborn to have difficulty latching onto the nipple properly, become tired while breastfeeding, and experience severe nipple sores (pain) for the mother. The baby not only fails to get enough nutrition but also suffers from severe gas pains due to swallowing too much air. In later years, it leads to physical and psychological problems such as the inability to pronounce sounds requiring tongue contact with the palate (R, L, S, T, Z, etc.) (lisping), and the inability to perform simple oral movements like licking ice cream or teeth cleaning. Early intervention can immediately restore all these developmental processes to normal.
- Babies who cannot latch onto the breast during breastfeeding, who constantly let go of the breast, and who make slurping sounds while sucking.
- Mothers who experience severe sores, bleeding, cracks, or pain in their breasts after breastfeeding.
- Newborns who gain weight slowly and suffer from severe gas pain because they swallow too much air while feeding.
- Children who cannot pronounce certain letters (especially R, L, S) when they reach speech age (lisping)
- Cases where the tip of the tongue forms a "heart shape (V)" or appears forked when the tongue is stuck out.
Mothers' breastfeeding tears and children's self-confidence can be regained with a split-second touch.
In my clinic, when mothers come in with suspected tongue tie, I usually see both the exhaustion of sleepless breastfeeding and the panic of "Will my baby need surgery?" in their eyes. As Dr. Nurten Küçük, my first priority is to alleviate this anxiety. Because tongue tie release (frenotomy) is not a serious operation to be feared in the classical sense. In newborn babies, this membrane is not yet vascularized and the nerve network is very weak in the first few months, so I release the tie in seconds in the clinic, often without even needing anesthesia. When we take the mother to the breastfeeding room immediately after the procedure, seeing the baby latch onto the breast so strongly and painlessly for the first time, and witnessing the mother's relief, is one of the most miraculous and satisfying moments of our profession.
Accurate and Early Diagnosis
In infants experiencing breastfeeding problems or children with speech delays, the type and shortness of the ligament can be diagnosed in seconds with a physical and completely painless ENT examination.
Instantaneous Intervention (Frenotomy)
In infants in their first few months, the ligaments are cut in seconds using special blunt-tipped scissors in an outpatient setting. In children with larger and thicker ligaments, they are released without bleeding using radiofrequency/laser under mild sedation (while the child is asleep).
Immediate Nutrition and Recovery
Immediately after the procedure, the baby is placed on the mother's breast. Breast milk is the best pain reliever and healer. Children of speech development age can quickly catch up with their peers with post-procedure speech therapy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it hurt a lot and does there get bleeding when a baby's tongue tie is cut?
In newborn babies (especially in the first 3-4 months), the tongue tie is a very thin, membranous, avascular structure with extremely few nerve endings. Therefore, during the cutting procedure, the baby may cry reflexively, not from pain, but simply from discomfort at the doctor touching their mouth. There will only be a drop or two of bleeding; as soon as the procedure is finished and the mother breastfeeds, this bleeding will stop immediately due to the healing effect of breast milk.
My child is 4 years old; will the procedure still be done while they are awake in the clinic?
No. As a child grows, the tongue tie thickens, becomes vascularized, and transforms into a fleshy structure (muscle tissue). Therefore, performing the procedure on children older than 1 year while they are awake in the outpatient clinic can psychologically traumatize the child and create a risk of bleeding. In this age group, we usually perform the procedure comfortably in seconds with radiofrequency or cautery under light mask anesthesia (sedation), without any bleeding or stitches.
Can the tongue tie reattach as the wound heals after it's been cut?
Although rare in thin and simple ligaments, there is a small risk of tissue fusion (reattaching) during healing in thick ligaments. To prevent this, simply perform the simple "sublingual massage and tongue stretching/lifting exercises" that your doctor will show you in the office, several times a day (as if playing a game) for a few weeks after the procedure.
My child cannot speak; will they start speaking properly immediately after their tongue tie is removed?
A tongue tie doesn't cause a child to be "completely unable to speak" (unable to produce words), but rather to mispronounce or lisp certain letters that mechanically require the tongue to touch the palate. When the tie is removed, the physical freedom of the tongue is instantly restored, but the child's brain has become accustomed to mispronouncing the letters. After the procedure, support from a Speech and Language Therapist is essential to help the child learn to pronounce the new letter sounds correctly, ensuring a flawless completion of the process.
Take the first step towards an accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment.
For an initial consultation, examination, and personalized treatment plan, please contact us immediately.