What is a short lingual frenulum (tongue-tie)?

Tongue-tie is a condition in which the band under the tongue connecting it to the floor of the mouth (the lingual frenulum) is congenitally short or thick, restricting tongue movement. These signs suggest it: 1) when the tongue is put out, the tip looks split into a W or heart shape, 2) the tip cannot reach the back of the upper teeth or the palate, 3) in infancy the baby cannot latch deeply, making feeding difficult, and 4) sounds made with the tongue are unclear. Depending on the degree we sometimes monitor it and sometimes perform a frenectomy. The first step is to confirm the degree with an examination.