Tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) is when the frenulum (the band of tissue that connects the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth) is too tight. This prevents the tongue from moving freely. The frenulum stretches as the tongue grows so often no treatment is needed. But if the tongue-tie is causing problems such as poor feeding in babies or trouble with speech in older kids, a minor surgery can help.

Follow your health care provider's advice for:

• Any special breastfeeding or bottle-feeding instructions.
• Taking your child to any medical specialists, such as an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor, dentist, oral surgeon, lactation (breastfeeding) consultant, or speech-language therapist.
• When to follow up.

• Your baby has trouble breastfeeding or taking a bottle.
• Your child has trouble eating.
• Your child has trouble speaking clearly.

What causes tongue-tie? It's not clear what causes tongue-tie. It can run in families, so it may be related to certain genes (the parts of cells that determine traits and conditions and can be passed down from parents to children). 

What surgery is done for tongue-tie? Most babies and kids don't need surgery for tongue-tie. But if surgery is needed, the ENT, dentist, or oral surgeon can do a:

• frenotomy (frenulectomy): This simple surgery can be done on babies, usually without anesthesia (medicine to stop pain and make the child sleepy). The health care provider makes a small cut in the frenulum with a scalpel, laser, or scissors to free up the tongue. 
• frenuloplasty: For older kids, or if the frenulum is too thick for a simple frenotomy, the child will get anesthesia. Then a surgeon divides and lengthens the frenulum.