Tongue-tie, or ankyloglossia, is a condition where the tissue that connects the bottom of the tongue to the floor of the mouth (the lingual frenulum) is shorter or thicker than usual.
How are Tongue Ties Classified?
There are several ways to classify tongue ties, including the Coryllos I–IV classification system, the Hazelbaker assessment tool for lingual frenulum function (HATLFF) system, or a simple anterior/posterior nomenclature. The former two classification methods also take the severity of the tongue-tie into consideration. In the most severe cases, the lingual frenulum extends all the way to the tip of the tongue, severely restricting its movement. In mild cases, the tip of the tongue has a freer range of motion.
Tongue-ties are often classified according to how much of the tip of the tongue is unattached. Many dentists and other oral healthcare practitioners will measure the length of the tongue that’s not connected to the frenulum and use that measurement to classify the tongue-tie. What is the most common type of tongue-tie? The most common type of tongue-tie is an anterior tongue tie, located under the front of the tongue. These tongue-ties are also the easiest to diagnose.
What causes a tongue tie?
Tongue-ties form as babies develop in utero, and they’re present from birth. As the tongue develops embryonically, it’s attached to the inside of the mouth. In most people, these attachments disappear, but they remain in people who have tongue-ties.
Most scientists believe that genetics determine whether a baby has tongue-tie, although research into tongue-tie causes is still ongoing. Tongue-tie may be linked to genes on the X chromosome, which is why it may run in some families.
There’s also some evidence that the fetal environment may affect the development of tongue-ties. For example, babies whose mothers used cocaine during pregnancy were more likely to have tongue-ties than babies whose mothers did not.
