|
Background: Partial ankyloglossia is a limitation which restricts the possibility of protrusion and elevation of
the tip of the tongue due to the shortness of either the lingual frenulum or the genioglossus muscles or both. The
principal objective of this paper is to present our protocol of action for the treatment of ankyloglossia. The specific
objectives are to study patients with ankyloglossia treated by the Service of Maxillofacial Surgery and the Service
of Speech Therapy of our pediatric Hospital, describe the diagnostic procedures, the pre-surgical intervention, the
surgical technique undertaken and the post-surgical rehabilitation taking into account the level of collaboration of
the patients, and finally, describe the surgical complications and the referral of patients.
Material and Methods: This is a descriptive study of healthy patients, without any diagnosis of syndrome, ranging
between 4 and 14 years that have been surgically treated and rehabilitated post-surgery within a period of 2
years.
Results: 101 frenectomies and lingual plasties have been performed and patients have been treated following the
protocol of action that we hereby present. After the surgical intervention, the degree of ankyloglossia has been improved, considering correction in 29 (28%) of the patients (95% CI: 20%, 38%), reaching, with the post-surgical
orofacial rehabilitation, a correction of 97 (96%) of the participants (95% CI: 90%, 98%).
Conclusions: The chosen surgical technique for moderate-severe ankyloglossia in our centre is the frenectomy and
lingual plasty. The myofunctional training begins one week before the surgical intervention so that the patients learn
the exercises without pain.
|