The lingual frenulum which anchors the tongue to the floor of the mouth is a normal structure. However, it usually stops short of the tip of the tongue. If the lingual frenulum continues right to the tip of the tongue it can restrict the movement of the tip of the tongue. Problems that this might cause might be problems with breast feeding and latching on which present in the neonatal period, problems with pronunciation especially of the hard consonants which usually presents around age 3 or 4, or an increased incidence of dental caries needing fillings which presents at about age 8 or thereafter. A significant tongue tie is where the tip of the tongue cannot be protruded beyond the gums or the teeth. Another pointer towards a significant tongue-tie is a heart-shaped or forked tongue. When the tongue is attempted to be protruded the central portion is tethered but the rest of the tongue protrudes on either side, and thus the tongue looks heart-shaped or forked. In these situations, a surgical division is recommended. The ideal age for this operation is probably about age 1.
Post-operative care
No specific post-operative care is necessary. Eat and drink normally.