Tethered oral tissues, or tongue ties (ankyloglossia), lip ties (ankylolabia), and cheek ties occur when the frena in the mouth are tight and impact the function of the muscles. Frena is the plural  term used to describe tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth and the lips to the gums. Each individual has 7 frena in their mouths. One frenulum (singular) is under the tongue, one connects the top lip to the upper gums, one connects the bottom lip to the lower gums, two frena connect the cheeks to the upper gums (one on each side), and the other frena connect the cheeks to the lower gums (one on each side). This condition is present at birth, although it may be missed by many professionals. This is why training in tethered oral tissues is an important aspect of what we do at Sensory Solutions.

Tethered Oral Tissues in Babies may present as:

• Painful breastfeeding
• Decreased milk supply
• Shallow latch on the breast or bottle
• Clicking when drinking from a bottle or breast
• “Milk tongue”
• Falling asleep while feeding
• Distracted eating
• Breast preference
• Excessive spillage of breastmilk or formula while feeding
• Prolonged feeding times
• Taking a bottle/breastfeeding better during the night
• Excessive gassiness or fussiness
• Acid reflux
• Slow or poor weight gain
• Inability to suck a pacifier

Tethered Oral Tissues in Children and Adults may cause:

• Difficulty with speech sound production
• Articulation disorders
• Slow eating/prolonged meals
• Picking/selective eating
• Choking/gagging on foods or liquids
• Inability to swallow pills
• Inability to clear food from teeth or between the teeth and cheeks using the tongue
• Frequent cavities
• Inverted lower central incisors
• High, narrow palate
• Crooked teeth
• Overcrowded teeth
• Need for orthodontia (braces and/or palate expanders)
• Teeth grinding
• Frequent headaches/migraines
• Jaw discomfort/pain/popping/clicking
• Recurrent ear infections
• Forward Head Posture
• Poor Overall Posture
• Acid Reflux or History of Acid Reflux

You may have been told that tongue ties/lip ties/cheek ties are a fad, but they are not! They have been treated for centuries! Midwives used to shape their pinky nails sharp enough to cut the frenulum under the tongue when the baby was born, if the mother was having difficulty breastfeeding. There are a few reasons for this information:

1. There is now an increase in the number of mothers wanting/able to breastfeed and more resources out there to allow this
2. There is more awareness of tongue, lip, and cheek ties
3. More professionals are becoming properly trained

If you believe you or your child has a tie, please schedule an appointment with us so we can fully assess you and your symptoms!