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Breastfeeding Difficulties, Ankyloglossia, and Frenotomy: A Literature Review

Reviewed by Corinne Jarvis
Written by Corinne Jarvis Published 11/16/2020 Updated 08/12/2023

Ankyloglossia causes problems in breastfeeding. Some professionals opt for frenotomy. The literature on the efficacy of this procedure is controversial, however. There exists a review of that literature (Colombari GC, et al., J Contemp Dent Pract. 2021 Apr 1;22(4):452-461), compiled from SciELO and PubMed, against criteria validated by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Sixteen papers comprise the current data fund. Possibly to the surprise of many readers, this combined literature does not support frenotomy as the rational default intervention in difficulty with ankyloglossia-related trouble with breastfeeding. More precisely, the authors of this review believe that further studies are yet needed on the different types of ankyloglossia, and how each of them directly influences sucking function.

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