Most people associate tongue tie with breastfeeding difficulties in newborns. It gets assessed in babies, treated early, and life moves on. But not everyone is diagnosed as an infant. Many adults live with a restricted lingual frenulum and do not realise the connection between that restriction and the symptoms they have been managing for years.
Tongue tie (ankyloglossia) in adults is under-recognised. If you have always found certain things difficult (articulating particular sounds, eating certain foods, dealing with jaw tension) it may be worth investigating.
What is tongue tie?
The lingual frenulum is the strip of tissue connecting the underside of your tongue to the floor of your mouth. In a tongue tie, this frenulum is unusually short, thick, or tight, restricting the tongue's range of movement.
The degree of restriction varies. Some people have a mild restriction that causes minimal issues. Others have a frenulum that is so tight the tongue cannot lift to the roof of the mouth or extend past the lower front teeth.
Tongue tie is present from birth. It does not develop later in life. But its effects may become more noticeable over time, particularly as compensatory habits develop.
Symptoms of tongue tie in adults
Adults with undiagnosed tongue tie often describe a cluster of issues that they have never connected to a single cause.
Speech difficulties. Certain consonant sounds require the tongue tip to contact the roof of the mouth or the backs of the upper teeth. Sounds like l, r, t, d, n, and s can be affected. You may have been told you mumble, or you may have developed workarounds that make speech effortful in certain situations.
Jaw and neck tension. When the tongue cannot move freely, the jaw compensates. This can contribute to tension in the jaw muscles, TMJ pain, headaches, and neck stiffness. Not all jaw pain is related to tongue tie, but it is worth considering if other causes have been ruled out.
Difficulty eating certain foods. Licking an ice cream cone, moving food around the mouth efficiently, or clearing food from between the cheeks and teeth can be harder with restricted tongue mobility.
Open-mouth breathing and snoring. The tongue plays a role in maintaining the airway during sleep. A restricted tongue may not rest properly against the palate, contributing to mouth breathing, snoring, or in some cases, sleep-disordered breathing.
Dental issues. A tongue that cannot sweep across the teeth naturally may contribute to plaque accumulation, gum recession on the lower front teeth, or spacing issues.
Difficulty with oral hygiene. Something as simple as running your tongue along your teeth after eating is limited when tongue movement is restricted.
Social discomfort. Some adults with tongue tie feel self-conscious about eating in public, kissing, or speaking in situations where clear articulation matters.
How tongue tie is diagnosed
Diagnosis is clinical. Your dentist or a speech pathologist assesses the frenulum visually and functionally.
Visual assessment. The frenulum is examined for thickness, length, and point of attachment. A tight frenulum that attaches near the tongue tip causes more restriction than one that attaches further back.
Functional assessment. You are asked to perform tongue movements: lift the tongue to the roof of the mouth, extend it past the lower lip, move it side to side, and make specific sounds. The degree of restriction is graded.
The Kotlow classification is one system used to categorise tongue tie severity based on the length of free tongue (from the frenulum attachment to the tongue tip). Class I is mild. Class IV is severe.
At Ivy Dental, we can perform an initial assessment at a check-up appointment and refer to a speech pathologist for a more detailed functional evaluation if needed.
Treatment: frenectomy
The treatment for tongue tie is a frenectomy (also called a frenotomy or frenuloplasty, depending on the technique). This is a procedure to release or modify the frenulum to allow greater tongue mobility.
How it works. The frenulum is released using a scalpel, scissors, or laser. The procedure is done under local anaesthetic and typically takes 15 to 30 minutes. Laser frenectomy is increasingly common because it causes less bleeding and may involve faster healing.
Recovery. Mild soreness and swelling for 3 to 7 days is typical. Most adults manage discomfort with over-the-counter pain relief. Soft foods are recommended for the first few days. You can usually return to work the next day.
Post-procedure exercises. This is the part many people underestimate. Releasing the frenulum is only half the treatment. Your tongue has spent years compensating for its restricted movement. Without targeted exercises to retrain tongue posture and movement patterns, old habits persist.
A myofunctional therapist or speech pathologist may provide exercises before or after a procedure where appropriate. The timing, duration, and expected benefit depend on the individual assessment and treatment plan.
Myofunctional therapy
Myofunctional therapy focuses on retraining the muscles of the tongue, lips, and face. For adults after frenectomy, it addresses:
Tongue resting posture. The tongue should rest against the palate, not the floor of the mouth. Years of tongue tie often create a low resting posture that needs conscious retraining.
Swallowing patterns. A restricted tongue often leads to a "tongue thrust" swallow, where the tongue pushes forward against or between the teeth rather than pressing up against the palate. This can contribute to orthodontic relapse and jaw tension.
Breathing habits. Mouth breathing may have developed as a compensation. Nasal breathing is healthier for both oral and overall health.
Speech articulation. If specific sounds have been difficult, targeted practice with a speech pathologist improves clarity.
What to expect from treatment
Setting realistic expectations matters. A frenectomy can improve tongue mobility significantly, but it is not a cure-all.
If your symptoms are directly related to restricted tongue movement, you may notice improvement in speech clarity, reduced jaw tension, easier eating, and better oral hygiene.
If jaw pain or sleep issues have multiple contributing factors, releasing the tongue tie may be one part of a broader treatment plan.
Results are individual. Some adults notice immediate improvement in tongue mobility after the procedure. Others find that the full benefit develops over weeks as exercises take effect and new movement patterns become automatic.
Book an assessment
If you suspect a tongue tie, the first step is a clinical assessment. We can evaluate your frenulum at our Everton Park or Nundah practice and discuss whether a frenectomy and myofunctional therapy may be appropriate for you.
Call (07) 3266 7120 or book online. Open 7 days. Tongue tie assessment is part of our general dentistry services at Everton Park and Nundah.
