Does my baby really need tongue-tie surgery?

No. Not every short frenulum requires surgery - we recommend it when tongue function is genuinely restricted. Surgery is considered when 1) a newborn cannot latch deeply so feeding does not go well, 2) movement is restricted enough that the tip of the tongue cannot reach the palate, or 3) there is, or is likely to be, a problem with sounds made using the tongue. When the degree is mild, many children have no difficulty as they grow, so we sometimes simply monitor. You can decide after we confirm the tongue's range of movement at an examination.