Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31637291›Full record

ArticleLaryngoscope investigative otolaryngology2019

Lingual frenuloplasty with myofunctional therapy: Exploring safety and efficacy in 348 cases.

Soroush Zaghi, Sanda Valcu-Pinkerton, Mia Jabara, Leyli Norouz-Knutsen, Chirag Govardhan, Joy Moeller, Valerie Sinkus, Rebecca S Thorsen, Virginia Downing, Macario Camacho and 5 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Laryngoscope investigative otolaryngology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
22citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
9.7field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

22 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 58 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Outcomes of tongue-tie release by means of tongue and frenulum assessment tools: a scoping review on non-infants.Acta otorhinolaryngologica Italica : organo ufficiale della Societa italiana di otorinolaringologia e chirurgia cervico-facciale · 2022
    Pooled it
  3. Effectiveness of Myofunctional Therapy in Ankyloglossia: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022
    Pooled it
  4. Trial
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Effectiveness of orofacial myofunctional therapy in improving orofacial function and oral habits: a scoping review.Canadian journal of dental hygiene : CJDH = Journal canadien de l'hygiene dentaire : JCHD · 2025
    Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Review
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Treatment of Ankyloglossia: A Review.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023
    Review
  15. Review
  16. Article
  17. Review
  18. Review
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors at 8 institutions in 2 countries.

Soroush ZaghiThe Breathe Institute Los Angeles California U.S.A.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3673-9099
Sanda Valcu-PinkertonThe Breathe Institute Los Angeles California U.S.A.
Mia JabaraThe Breathe Institute Los Angeles California U.S.A.
Leyli Norouz-KnutsenThe Breathe Institute Los Angeles California U.S.A.
Chirag GovardhanThe Breathe Institute Los Angeles California U.S.A.
Joy MoellerThe Breathe Institute Los Angeles California U.S.A.
Valerie SinkusThe Breathe Institute Los Angeles California U.S.A.
Rebecca S ThorsenThe Breathe Institute Los Angeles California U.S.A.
Virginia DowningThe Breathe Institute Los Angeles California U.S.A.
Macario CamachoTripler Army Medical Center Honolulu Hawaii U.S.A.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9200-9085
Audrey YoonSection of Pediatric Dentistry, Division of Growth and Development UCLA School of Dentistry Los Angeles California U.S.A.
William M HangWilliam M Hang, DDS, MSD - A Prof Corp Agoura Hills California U.S.A.
Brian HockelLife Dental and Orthodontics Walnut Creek California U.S.A.
Christian GuilleminaultDepartment of Psychiatry, Sleep Medicine Division Stanford Hospital and Clinics Redwood City California U.S.A.
Stanley Yung-Chuan LiuDivision of Sleep Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery Stanford University School of Medicine Stanford California U.S.A.
Breathe California of Los Angeles County · USAmerican Association of Orthodontists · USStanford Health Care · USStanford Medicine · USTripler Army Medical Center · USUCLA Health · USUniversity of California, Los Angeles · USWilliams & Associates · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAnkyloglossia is a condition of altered tongue mobility due to the presence of restrictive tissue between the undersurface of the tongue and the floor of mouth. Potential implications of restricted tongue mobility (such as mouth breathing, snoring, dental clenching, and myofascial tension) remain underappreciated due to limited peer-reviewed evidence. Here, we explore the safety and efficacy of lingual frenuloplasty and myofunctional therapy for the treatment of these conditions in a large and diverse cohort of patients with restricted tongue mobility.

methodsFour hundred twenty consecutive patients (ages 29 months to 79 years) treated with myofunctional therapy and lingual frenuloplasty for indications of mouth breathing, snoring, dental clenching, and/or myofascial tension were surveyed. All procedures were performed by a single surgeon using a scissors and suture technique. Safety and efficacy was assessed >2 months postoperatively by means of patient-reported outcome measures.

resultsIn all, 348 surveys (83% response rate) were completed showing 91% satisfaction rate and 87% rate of improvement in quality of life through amelioration of mouth breathing (78.4%), snoring (72.9%), clenching (91.0%), and/or myofascial tension (77.5%). Minor complications occurred in <5% of cases including complaints of prolonged pain or bleeding, temporary numbness of the tongue-tip, salivary gland issues, minor wound infection or inflammation, and need for revision to excise scar tissue. There were no major complications.

conclusionLingual frenuloplasty with myofunctional therapy is safe and potentially effective for the treatment of mouth breathing, snoring, clenching, and myofascial tension in appropriately selected patient candidates. Further studies with objective measures are merited. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.

Indexed as

ankyloglossiafrenectomyLingual frenuloplastylingual frenummyofunctional therapyorofacial myologytongue and orofacial exercisestongue‐tie

Identifiers

PMID31637291
PMCPMC6793603
OpenAlexW2971176292

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.