Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline for Assessment and Management of Ankyloglossia in Infants With...

Purpose: To provide evidence-based recommendations for managing infants with restrictive lingual frenum and breastfeeding difficulties. Methods: Recommendations were informed by 2 recent systematic reviews regarding outcomes such as the diagnostic criteria for ankyloglossia, association of ankyloglossia with feeding difficulties, and evidence for surgical release of the lingual frenum. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) approach guided consensus on problem prioritization, certainty of evidence, benefit-risk balance, patient values, acceptability, and feasibility. Results: Twelve conditional recommendations were developed addressing the diagnosis and management of symptomatic ankyloglossia. Both anatomical and functional assessments were advised for a comprehensive assessment of the tongue. Evidence suggested an association between restrictive lingual frenum and feeding difficulties and potential benefits of frenotomy on feeding in carefully selected cases. This document provides guidance on preferred surgical techniques, postoperative care, and counseling regarding possible adverse events, aiming to support clinical decision making for dental professionals. Conclusions: All recommendations were conditional and grounded in very low-certainty evidence, underscoring the need for high-quality research. Clinicians should engage in multidisciplinary, shared decision making with parents to determine the most appropriate intervention from available options, incorporating the family's values and preferences.