What is "ankyloglossia"

n. (context medicine English) A congenital oral anomaly in which the lingual frenulum is unusually short and thick, decreasing mobility of the tongue and affecting eating, speech, etc.

n. a congenital anomaly in which the mucous membrane under the tongue is too short limiting the mobility of the tongue [syn: tongue tie]

Ankyloglossia, also known as tongue-tie, is a congenital oral anomaly that may decrease mobility of the tongue tip and is caused by an unusually short, thick lingual frenulum, a membrane connecting the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth. Ankyloglossia varies in degree of severity from mild cases characterized by mucous membrane bands to complete ankyloglossia whereby the tongue is tethered to the floor of the mouth.