09/07/2025
A tongue-tie release can totally help, BUT only if everything else is ready and supported.
Seriously, don't skip the prep and follow-up! If you do, it could make sleep, feeding, speech, jaw tension, and airway issues even worse.
"Real care" means:
Pre-therapy: Get that myofunctional therapy going to train nasal breathing, proper tongue placement, swallowing, and muscle tone.
Airway and space check: Make sure there's enough room for the tongue to chill on the roof of the mouth. Also, check for stuffy noses, allergies, other "tethered" spots, and sleep-disordered breathing.
Nervous system readiness: Chill out the system first! Get good at nasal breathing, CO2 tolerance, and vagal tone to make post-op recovery smoother.
Structural stuff: See if the palate or jaw needs expanding or orthopedic support if it's too narrow or the tongue has no place to go.
Skilled release + aftercare: a skilled provider will use precise technique while your therapist can help manage pain, handle wound care, do stretches (if needed), and guide you back to normal function.
Green flags in a provider:
They talk about therapy before and after.
They check airway, sleep, and if the nose is clear.
They look at tongue rest space and oral posture.
They team up with other pros (ENT, SLP, myo, PT/OT, dentist/ortho).
They give you a clear, step-by-step plan, not just "let's do the procedure."
Red flags (run!):
"Let's snip today—no therapy needed."
No questions about airway or sleep.
No chat about tongue rest space or palate width.
No plan for aftercare and getting back to normal.
Why this matters: Your tongue is an airway muscle! Releasing it without training and space can actually make mouth breathing, instability, and broken sleep worse. Plus, function helps shape things – prep builds the patterns the release is supposed to make even better.
