Impact of treatment with lingual frenuloplasty and orofacial myofunctional therapy

This paper looked at twelve professional or recreational voice users that were diagnosed with ankyloglossia and were surveyed on their symptoms of muscle tension dysphonia (a condition affecting the feeling or quality of the voice due to increased muscle tension in and/or around the neck and larynx) before and after treatment with lingual frenuloplasty and pre- and post-operative orofacial myofunctional therapy. Eleven out of twelve patients (91.6%) reported clinical improvement in the use of their voice after functional frenuloplasty. Five primary themes were noted: improved vocal quality, improved ease of singing and/or speaking, increased stamina, increased pitch range and improved breath support. The findings of the study suggested a possible association between muscle tension dysphonia and restricted tongue mobility due to underlying myofascial tension.