Patients with very severe tongue-tie often present with swallow or speech issues that are hopefully identified and addressed early. On the other hand, patients with mild to moderate tongue-tie often present in a less obvious fashion and so may have the tongue-tie go unrecognized for a long time.

Because the mobility of the tongue is restricted in the tongue-tie condition, the back of the tongue takes a posterior and inferior position which can block the airway and cause problems with sleep.

These individuals often complain of difficulty sleeping on the back, snoring, or restless sleep and unrefreshing sleep. Compensation patterns during sleep may develop including open mouth breathing, teeth clenching, or predominant side-sleeping that can have secondary effects on maxillofacial development, temporomandibular health, and musculoskeletal posture issues. Similarly, compensation patterns such as forward head posture, anteriorly rolled shoulders, and other myofascial restrictions may also be adopted to offset the limitations of a restricted upper airway in affected patients even while they are standing upright and awake. 

Effective release of a lingual with restoration of tongue mobility, tongue, and posture in these individuals can have a profound impact on many areas of the person’s life.