TONGUE-TIE RELEASE: AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY CARRIED OUT AT PEDODONTIC DEPARTMENT OF QUEEN RANIA AL-ABDULLAH HOSPITAL, AMMAN

Abstract

Present study was done to determine the most common reasons for tongue-tie release by the patients parents attending the paediatric dental clinics of Queen Rania Al-Abdullah Hospital and to assess the correlation between parents’ concerns and the presence of a real complication related to the tongue-tie condition.

A detailed questionnaire was designed, which included Questions on medical history, age, patient gender, reasons for seeking treatment. The questionnaires were filled in during interviews with parents or guardians attending the paediatric dental clinic.

A sample of 111 patients was selected from among 150 children who attended the clinic from November 2018 to July 2019 seeking tongue-tie treatment. The sample comprised 30 female patients (27%) and 81 (73%) male patients. The study group had a mean (±SD) age of 38.05±30.416months. The youngest child was one month old, and the oldest was 156 months old. The most common reason for seeking tongue-tie release was speech difficulties (49.5%), followed by feeding problems (12.6%), swallowing (4.5%) and other issues. Speech difficulties were reported as being parents’ main concern in the case of males and females (about 50% of males and 46% of females), with no significant difference between genders.

It was concluded from this study that the most common reasons for treatment being sought were speech difficulties or feeding problems, and ankyloglossia. Diagnosis of tongue-tie is subjective and varies among different specialists.