Ankyloglossia in children from 5 to 11 years of age: Diagnosis and treatment

Abstract

A descriptive, longitudinal and prospective study on ankyloglossia is conducted. It is defined as a short frenum restricting the movements of the tongue. Children aged 5-11 from the primary schools of Melena del Sur entered this study. They were surgically treated in coordination with the speech specialist and the general stomatologist at "Orlando Corvo" dental clinic, in the municiaplity of Melena del Sur. These patiens were referred later to the speech specialist to correct the speech problems with exercises. As a surgical technique different to the one proposed in literature was used, patients did not need surgical suture. Of the 829 children aged 5-11 that were checked at the primary schools of the municipality of Melena del Sur, 29 presented ankyloglossia, accounting for 3.49 % of incidence. Among children with ankyloglossia, the most affected phonema was /R/. The evolution of diction in those children affected with ankyloglossia before and after the treatment given by the stomatologist and the speech specialist was satisfactory in 99 % of the cases. The surgical technique suggested by the authors was modified and it was simpler on cutting closer to the ventral side of the tongue. Satisfactory results were obtained as to the healing time of the wound.