ROLE OF LASERS IN RECREATING SPEECH –A SPECIAL CASE OF ANKYLOGLOSSIA

Ankyloglossia or tongue-tie is an inborn anomaly that causes restriction of tongue movements. It is characterized by the position of lingual frenum inbetween the tongue and the floor of the mouth. A 17-year-old female patient with the complaint of difficulty in speech was diagnosed with ankyloglossia. To restore her normal speech, laser frenectomy using a diode laser (940nm) was the technique considered over the conventional method to remove the high frenal attachment and to avoid complications caused by the scalpel technique. Post-operative evaluation showed complete healing at the end of 2 to 6 weeks with an increase in tongue mobility of ≥15 mm after laser surgery. After treatment, the patient showed faster healing, early restoration of function and less post-operative pain; thus, proving to be more efficient than the conventional scalpel technique. KEYWORDS: Ankyloglossia, LASER, Frenectomy