International Affiliation of Tongue Tie Professionals

We are a multi-disciplinary group of healthcare professionals who advocate for research, education, and integrated clinical practice to improve the lives of those affected by oral restrictions.

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Committed to Improving the Lives of Those Affected by Oral Restrictions

The IATP was founded in 2009 as an international, multi-disciplinary group of professionals who have come together out of a common interest in effective management of ankyloglossia (tongue tie) and upper lip tie. Our goal is to improve knowledge, education, and training in this field.

What Is a Tongue Tie?

Definition of lip tie: An attachment of the upper lip to the maxillary gingival (gum) tissue. (AKA superior labial frenulum, median labial frenulum, or maxillary labial frenulum)

There are many terms used to describe a lingual frenulum because of the intermix of anatomical and functional descriptions. The interchangeable terms ‘‘tongue-tie, ankyloglossia, sublingual frenulum, and short frenulum’’ are misleading.

Infants and mothers dyads who have breastfeeding difficulties not solved by a lactation consultation and judged as being due to the infant’s lingual frenulum should be clinically diagnosed as having ‘‘symptomatic tongue-tie’’ or ‘‘symptomatic ankyloglossia.’’

Infants with no breastfeeding difficulties and those with breastfeeding difficulties that are corrected after a lactation consultation should be considered as having an asymptomatic “sublingual frenulum.”

The term “short frenulum” should be abandoned, given that clinical measurement of the length of the lingual frenulum is impossible and can be based solely on subjective assessment.

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