CLINICAL EVALUATION AND SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF CONGENITAL SHORT FRENULUM OF THE TONGUE AND LIP: EFFECTIVENESS, OUTCOMES, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Keywords:
ankyloglossia, lip-tie, short frenulum, tongue-tie, frenotomy, frenuloplasty, breastfeeding, pediatric surgeryAbstract
Background: Congenital short frenulum of the tongue (ankyloglossia) and upper lip (lip-tie) are developmental anomalies that can interfere with key oral functions, including breastfeeding, speech articulation, and oral hygiene. Despite their prevalence, they are often underdiagnosed and undertreated. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical presentation, diagnostic methods, and surgical outcomes of patients with congenital short lingual and/or labial frenulum, and to assess the effectiveness and safety of frenotomy and frenuloplasty. Methods: A retrospective cohort of 72 pediatric patients diagnosed with short frenulum was analyzed. Clinical assessment tools included the Hazelbaker Assessment Tool and Coryllos classification. Surgical interventions consisted of frenotomy and frenuloplasty, with follow-up over six months to evaluate outcomes. Results: Significant improvements were observed in breastfeeding (91%), speech clarity (78%), and oral hygiene (75%) post-surgery. Complication rates were low, with only minor transient bleeding and discomfort in a small subset of patients. Surgical success was comparable between frenotomy and frenuloplasty. Conclusion: Early diagnosis and surgical management of congenital short frenulum in the tongue and lip yield high functional success and low complication rates. Multidisciplinary evaluation and standardized assessment tools enhance outcomes and patient care.
Downloads
References
Kotlow, L. A. (2004). Diagnosis and treatment of ankyloglossia and posterior lingual frenulum. Clinical Pediatrics, 43(4), 341–345.
Hazelbaker, A. (1993). Assessment Tool for Lingual Frenulum Function (ATLFF). Ohio: Master’s Thesis.
Ricke, L. A., Baker, N. J., Madlon-Kay, D. J., & DeFor, T. A. (2005). Newborn tongue-tie: prevalence and effect on breast-feeding. Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 18(1), 1–7.
O'Callahan, C., Macary, S., & Clemente, S. (2013). The effects of office-based frenotomy for anterior and posterior ankyloglossia on breastfeeding. International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, 77(5), 827–832.
Sethi, N., Smith, D., & Khandekar, S. (2020). Lip and tongue ties in infants and children: when is surgical treatment warranted? International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, 138, 110288.
Abdisalamovich, A.A., 2024. FIXATION AND STABILIZATION IN PATIENTS USING A FULLY REMOVABLE PLATE PROSTHESIS MADE OF SILICONE-BASED PLASTIC. Ethiopian International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 11(03), pp.97-99.
Abdusalomovich, A.A., 2025. EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF VARIOUS MATERIALS FOR FIXED DENTURES TAKING INTO ACCOUNT BIOCOMPATIBILITY AND DURABILITY. Ethiopian International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 12(03), pp.119-125.
Abdusalomovich, Atakhanov Azizbek. "CLINICAL AND FUNCTIONAL EVALUATION OF BRIDGE PROSTHETICS USING INTRA-OSSEOUS IMPLANTS." Russian-Uzbekistan Conference. Vol. 1. No. 1. 2024.
Ismoilov, B., 2025. OPTIMIZATION OF CLINICAL EFFECTIVENESS AND ESTHETIC OUTCOMES IN SELECTIVE CAVITY PREPARATION USING MODERN COMPOSITE AND HYBRID RESIN-MODIFIED GLASS IONOMER CEMENT MATERIALS. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence, 1(2), pp.1356-1359.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
All content published in the Journal of Applied Science and Social Science (JASSS) is protected by copyright. Authors retain the copyright to their work, and grant JASSS the right to publish the work under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). This license allows others to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the work, even commercially, as long as they credit the author(s) for the original creation.