Significance of the tethered maxillary frenulum: a questionnaire-based observational cohort study
Background The clinical significance of lip-tie, or a tethered maxillary frenulum, remains under debate. Clinicians and parents are often perplexed when deciding whether procedures available to relieve a seemingly tight or severe maxillary frenulum are needed. Purpose No previous studies have assess...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The Korean Pediatric Society
2021-03-01
|
| Series: | Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.e-cep.org/upload/pdf/cep-2020-00486.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818668350501289984 |
|---|---|
| author | Sody A. Naimer Ariel Israel Aviezer Gabbay |
| author_facet | Sody A. Naimer Ariel Israel Aviezer Gabbay |
| author_sort | Sody A. Naimer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background The clinical significance of lip-tie, or a tethered maxillary frenulum, remains under debate. Clinicians and parents are often perplexed when deciding whether procedures available to relieve a seemingly tight or severe maxillary frenulum are needed. Purpose No previous studies have assessed the consequences of not subjecting a tethered maxillary frenulum in newborns to surgical intervention. This study aimed to contribute the first prospective trial on this topic with a relatively extended followup of these newborn infants. Methods This prospective observational questionnaire-based cohort trial was performed in a community setting and aimed to determine whether lip-tie is associated with an increased likelihood of eventual feeding or oral disorders. Results The convenience sample comprised of 61 consecutively arriving infants with concomitant tethered frenula who were treated at the clinic for various reasons. This cohort was compared with a random sample of 66 age-matched children for a mean follow-up period of 6.42 years. Infants undergoing oropharyngeal procedures were excluded. Awareness of a deviation in oral structures was reported by 18% of the study group versus 0% of the controls. Mothers participating in the study group (24.6%) less frequently recalled painful nipples or discomfort during breastfeeding than those in the control group (47.0%) (P<0.01). There were no intergroup differences in other types of feeding difficulty, dental hygiene, pronunciation, or speech development. Conclusion Our findings suggest that a tethered labial frenulum is not associated with an increase in breastfeeding disturbances or oral disorders. These data encourage clinicians to question the need to intervene in cases of tethered maxillary frenula. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T06:34:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-855d22dae9e946d0b675ef441a96504f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2713-4148 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T06:34:55Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | The Korean Pediatric Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics |
| spelling | doaj.art-855d22dae9e946d0b675ef441a96504f2022-12-21T22:00:03ZengThe Korean Pediatric SocietyClinical and Experimental Pediatrics2713-41482021-03-0164313013510.3345/cep.2020.0048620125555359Significance of the tethered maxillary frenulum: a questionnaire-based observational cohort studySody A. Naimer0Ariel Israel1Aviezer Gabbay2 Department of Family Medicine, Siaal Family Medicine and Primary Care Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, BeerSheva, Israel Division of Planning and Strategy, Department of Research of Data, Clalit Health Services, Tel Aviv, Israel Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, IsraelBackground The clinical significance of lip-tie, or a tethered maxillary frenulum, remains under debate. Clinicians and parents are often perplexed when deciding whether procedures available to relieve a seemingly tight or severe maxillary frenulum are needed. Purpose No previous studies have assessed the consequences of not subjecting a tethered maxillary frenulum in newborns to surgical intervention. This study aimed to contribute the first prospective trial on this topic with a relatively extended followup of these newborn infants. Methods This prospective observational questionnaire-based cohort trial was performed in a community setting and aimed to determine whether lip-tie is associated with an increased likelihood of eventual feeding or oral disorders. Results The convenience sample comprised of 61 consecutively arriving infants with concomitant tethered frenula who were treated at the clinic for various reasons. This cohort was compared with a random sample of 66 age-matched children for a mean follow-up period of 6.42 years. Infants undergoing oropharyngeal procedures were excluded. Awareness of a deviation in oral structures was reported by 18% of the study group versus 0% of the controls. Mothers participating in the study group (24.6%) less frequently recalled painful nipples or discomfort during breastfeeding than those in the control group (47.0%) (P<0.01). There were no intergroup differences in other types of feeding difficulty, dental hygiene, pronunciation, or speech development. Conclusion Our findings suggest that a tethered labial frenulum is not associated with an increase in breastfeeding disturbances or oral disorders. These data encourage clinicians to question the need to intervene in cases of tethered maxillary frenula.http://www.e-cep.org/upload/pdf/cep-2020-00486.pdfbreastfeedingfrenuluminfant welfareoral pathologytethered maxillary frenulum |
| spellingShingle | Sody A. Naimer Ariel Israel Aviezer Gabbay Significance of the tethered maxillary frenulum: a questionnaire-based observational cohort study Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics breastfeeding frenulum infant welfare oral pathology tethered maxillary frenulum |
| title | Significance of the tethered maxillary frenulum: a questionnaire-based observational cohort study |
| title_full | Significance of the tethered maxillary frenulum: a questionnaire-based observational cohort study |
| title_fullStr | Significance of the tethered maxillary frenulum: a questionnaire-based observational cohort study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Significance of the tethered maxillary frenulum: a questionnaire-based observational cohort study |
| title_short | Significance of the tethered maxillary frenulum: a questionnaire-based observational cohort study |
| title_sort | significance of the tethered maxillary frenulum a questionnaire based observational cohort study |
| topic | breastfeeding frenulum infant welfare oral pathology tethered maxillary frenulum |
| url | http://www.e-cep.org/upload/pdf/cep-2020-00486.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sodyanaimer significanceofthetetheredmaxillaryfrenulumaquestionnairebasedobservationalcohortstudy AT arielisrael significanceofthetetheredmaxillaryfrenulumaquestionnairebasedobservationalcohortstudy AT aviezergabbay significanceofthetetheredmaxillaryfrenulumaquestionnairebasedobservationalcohortstudy |