Study on the correlation between functional articulation disorders and the short lingual frenulum

To explore the relationship between a short lingual frenulum and functional articulation disorders and to offer a reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

A total of 259 patients with functional articulation disorders who visited the West China Hospital of Stomatology from October 2016 to February 2019 were included. The lingual ligaments of patients were clinically examined under natural light and classified into 4 groups according to the distance between the ligament and tongue tip, the functional position of the tongue, and the shape of the tongue tip. Statistical analyses of speech error types and the correlation between functional articulation disorders and the lingual ligament were performed.

Among all 259 patients, 220 patients had a normal lingual ligament, while only 39 patients had a short lingual ligament. The speech evaluation results of patients with a normal lingual ligament were as follows: no gas delivery 75, postconstructive tone 36, preconstructed tones 67, palatalized misarticulation 19, and consonant deletion 23. The speech evaluation results with a short lingual ligament were as follows: no gas delivery 12, postconstructive tone 5, preconstructed tones 13, palatalized misarticulation 4, and consonant deletion 5. No correlation was observed between functional articulation disorders and the lingual ligament (P＝0.939).

No correlation was found between functional articulation disorders and the lingual ligament. Patients with functional articulation disorders should not be encouraged to undergo ankylotomy; however, speech training should be encouraged instead.