Providing Better Smiles to Calgary & nearby areas of Alberta
Tongue tie (otherwise known as ankyloglossia) is when the tip of the tongue is anchored to the floor of the mouth.
There are varying degrees of a tongue tie in which some will require attention from a practitioner while some will not. A Tongue tie may extend all the way to the tip or it may extend partially to the tip resulting in a partial tongue tie. There is also a condition called posterior tongue tie in which the tongue tie is hidden under the tongue lining.
Challenges a person with a tongue tie may face include:
- Speech issues
- Incorrect swallowing patterns due to tongue ties can give rise to various types of malocclusion
- Pain in the jaws
- TMJ & Chronic Head and Neck Pain
- Crowded teeth
- Protrusion of the lower jaws, inferior prognathism
- Posture can be influenced by a short lingual fraenum
- a tendency to have inflamed gums, and increased need for fillings and extractions
- Sensitivity about personal appearance
- Tongue tie in the elderly often makes it difficult to keep a denture in place
It is never too late for a person to have their tongue-tie released. The benefits for some people can be life changing and well worth the time and effort. If you suffer from any of these symptoms and suspect you have a tongue tie please contact our Calgary office for an evaluation.
Dr. Jennifer Silver is a highly accomplished dental surgeon with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Melbourne, Australia. Her educational accomplishments include deans honours list, an oral surgery award and best research project. Prior to this degree, she graduated with honors from Dalhousie University’s Dental Hygiene Program and worked in this field for 10 years.
The areas of dentistry that holds special interest for Dr. Silver include oral medicine and whole-body dentistry. She currently devotes time and resources toward helping patients with TMJ pain and sleep apnea, while continuing to provide general dentistry as well. Future interests include devoting time to additional oral surgery training. Jen strives to treat her patients as if they were family. She strongly believes in a multi-disciplinary approach for patient care. She is part of a large network of specialists that she trusts and collaborates with when helping patients.