Inside the mouth are small bands of tissue called “Frenums” connected to our tongues, lips and cheeks, and we are all born with them! The band of tissue that connects the bottom of the tongue to the floor of the mouth is called the lingual frenum. The band of tissue that connects the upper lip to the gums is called the labial frenum. Sometimes, these tissues can be tighter, shorter or thicker than usual, which may restrict movement or affect how the mouth functions.

This is known as a tongue tie or lip tie.

Not all ties require treatment. What matters most is whether they’re causing functional impact with things like feeding, speaking, oral-facial development, or impacting risk of cavities. That's why a thoughtful, functional assessment is so important.