Can adults get tongue tie fixed? Wait… adults can have tongue ties? Yes, and yes!
If you’ve ever asked yourself that — while rubbing your jaw, struggling to say that one sound correctly, or wondering why you can’t keep your tongue on the roof of your mouth — you’re in the right place.
As a licensed speech-language pathologist and myofunctional therapist specializing in tethered oral tissues for adults, I hear this question all the time—not just from patients but also from dentists, body workers, and even fellow SLPs.
So, can adults get tongue tie fixed? The short answer is: Absolutely. The longer answer? Well, that’s what we’re going to unpack today — step-by-step, myth-by-myth, fascia-by-fascia.
What Is Tongue Tie, Really?
Before we dive into how adults can get tongue tie fixed, let’s clear up what a tongue tie actually is.
Tongue tie (or ankyloglossia) occurs when the lingual frenulum — the string-like band of tissue under the tongue — is too tight, too short, or too thick.
This restriction limits the tongue’s range of motion, which impacts: Speech articulation, chewing and swallowing, breathing patterns, sleep quality, facial development, and yes, even posture and neck pain.
Tongue tie can be diagnosed in infancy or early childhood—when it’s caught. Unfortunately, many individuals slip through the cracks, developing compensations that mask the restriction for years… or decades.
There are two main types of tongue ties: anterior and posterior. Most adults will have a posterior tongue tie, as it is less visually prominent and more likely to be missed as a child.
Anterior ties are located closer to the tip of the tongue, creating more significant restrictions on the tongue’s range of motion. Posterior ties are located mid-back of the underside of the tongue.
Posterior ties are deceptive as the tongue has a greater range of motion than with an anterior tie. Often, basic checks, such as asking one to stick out their tongue, are used to assess for a tie.
Unfortunately, this is not considered a proper assessment method for tongue tie. Those with posterior ties can more easily stick out their tongues but can not perform other more subtle actions required for speech and feeding tasks.
So, Can Adults Get Tongue Tie Fixed?
Yes. 100% yes.
Adults not only can get their tongue-tie fixed but many should, especially if the restriction negatively impacts their quality of life.
Whether it’s chronic TMJ pain, speech issues, swallowing difficulties, or simply never being able to lick an ice cream cone properly (yep, that’s a sign too), tongue ties don’t magically “stretch out” with time.
They persist. You adapt. And they often contribute to more significant problems later in life. Because now the adaptations or compensations have impacted other muscles and joints.
This leads to a breakdown in more than one area.
Next, we will examine some of those more common breakdowns for adults.
Signs You Might Have an Undiagnosed Adult Tongue Tie – Can Adults Get Tongue Tie Fixed?
Could a tongue tie be affecting you?
First, check out our self-assessment of tongue tie to help you better decide if a full assessment by a preferred provider is necessary.
Next, here’s a list of common red flags that I see in adult clients:
Mouth breathing or snoring
An open-mouth posture, lips parted, and primary breathing through the mouth are unhealthy compensations for oral ties. Lip ties may also play a part in mouth breathing and should be ruled out if one thinks they have a tongue tie.
When the tongue is tied, it rests low in the floor of the mouth, causing a gradual opening of the mouth.
If this posture occurs while sleeping, it can lead to snoring. Tongue tie can be the underlying issue of mouth breathing, which is the underlying cause of snoring.
Adults who get a tongue tie fixed can find that they have reduced snoring and can enjoy those nighttime snuggles again.
Nasal breathing is optimal for health and wellness both at night and during the day.
Teeth grinding or clenching
Grinding teeth, especially at night, is often treated with a mouth guard. But this guard does not treat the cause of the grinding.
Guards simply protect the teeth from damage. The tongue resting low in the floor of the mouth due to a tie can fall back into the throat area and block the air.
Here, the jaw compensates and attempts to move the tongue out of the airway. As the jaw slides and glides, it grinds the teeth.
Adults can fix tongue tie and significantly reduce teeth grinding habits.
TMJ/TMD
Well, with all that airway blockage causing snoring and grinding, the next area of impact becomes the jaw joint. The TMJ is being overworked as it compensates for low tongue posture.
Over time, adults can move from feeling slight clicks and pops to full-blown constant pain and discomfort. As adults correct tongue resting posture and improve nasal breathing, jaw pain can subside.
Brain fog and fatigue
As mentioned, open mouth breathing and snoring can be common issues with tongue ties. If your sleep is disturbed due to snoring, and you’re taking in less oxygen-rich air through your mouth, brain fog and fatigue will follow.
Daytime drowsiness and brain fog can be directly linked to poor sleep. Determining the root cause, tongue tie, can profoundly improve your daytime performance once treated.
Mumbling or unclear speech
Adult tongue tie can subtly or overtly impact speech articulation skills. One may have a consistent lisp or tongue thrust, causing embarrassment and self-consciousness in all speaking situations.
While other adults notice a slight slurring or strain when speaking for more extended periods.
This is due to the tongue’s limited range of motion as the tie anchors it. A tongue needs to alternate the phonemes of speech rapidly. When tied, it is difficult to do this.
When adults get their tongue fixed, they consistently report ease in their speech and improved speech clarity.
Swallowing and Digestive Issues
Just as the tongue needs to move dynamically for speech, it requires dynamic movement for chewing and swallowing food.
Limited range of motion leads to poor mastication of the food bolus and poor propulsion to the throat for swallowing.
Open mouth chewing may also occur, trapping more air than necessary in the swallow. Poor propulsion of the food bolus combined with too much air being gulped can lead to digestive upset.
Digestion begins in the mouth, which causes tongue movement limitations and impacts the digestive process.
Adults dealing with recurring digestive problems report relief once they’ve fixed their ties.
Forward head posture or chronic neck tension
The head goes where the tongue leads. If the tongue rests low, and the mouth grades into an open posture, this pulls the head forward. Forward head posture puts strain on the neck.
Neck pain, jaw pain, and headaches can all be linked to tongue ties!
History of orthodontic relapses
Some adults note they are on a second or third round of braces. Why are your teeth moving out of alignment following years of braces?
Most dentists will blame the patient, You didn’t wear your retainers!
But why do you need retainers to prevent your teeth from moving? What is pulling them out of alignment? You got it—tongue ties!
Picture this: Your tongue is resting up in your palate, and your lips and cheeks are gently applying inward pressure. Your elevated tongue helps to create intraoral pressure. This pressurized system houses your teeth like a mold.
No retainer needed! But when the tongue is resting low, and the system is not pressurized, the teeth are floating in space.
As an adult, fixing your tongue tie can improve orthodontic outcomes.
Anxiety
I’ve never met an adult who attributed their tongue tie to anxiety. But interestingly, after surgical release and myofascial therapy to teach the tongue how to live in the palate at rest, many report a reduction in daily anxiety levels.
Basically, your body has been living in a state of tense flight or fight neurological over-readiness due to the oral tie. This may be due to its connection in the fascia system, or that the tongue placement in the palate is central to your body’s natural rhythms.
Considering that earlier we mentioned poor sleep as a sign, this too can impact overall feelings of anxiety.
Improving sleep and reducing overall body tensions after releasing oral ties can lead to less anxiety!
If you nodded to more than one of these, it might be time to look into it. Adult ties are like snowflakes; no two are alike or impact a person the same. This is not an all-inclusive list, but rather some of the more common ones reported to me by my patients.
And no, you’re not “too old” to benefit. I’ve worked with clients in their 20s, 40s, 50s, and 60s who have undergone functional releases with life-changing results.
But Why Didn’t Anyone Catch This Sooner?
Ah, the million-dollar question.
The reality is that most adult tongue ties go undiagnosed because our healthcare system has historically only focused on visible, dramatic cases, like a baby who couldn’t latch during breastfeeding.
If you didn’t have feeding issues as an infant, or if your speech was “good enough,” your tie probably went unnoticed.
Or, in many cases, your parent was told:
“You’ll grow out of it.” “Your speech is fine.” “It’s cosmetic.” “That’s just how your tongue is.” “It’s a fad.” “It’ll break on its own.”
Spoiler: functional issues are rarely just cosmetic. Our healthcare system should routinely refer to professionals specializing in tethered oral tissues rather than treat it as an unimportant non-factor in your symptoms.
The good news? Awareness is catching up. More professionals — SLPs, dentists, ENTs, bodyworkers — are getting trained to recognize adult presentations of tethered oral tissues.
Can Adults Get Tongue Tie Fixed With Surgery?
Yes, but here’s where the nuance comes in.
Fixing a tongue tie isn’t just about snipping tissue. It’s about restoring function. That’s why a successful adult release involves a team-based, integrative approach:
Proper Assessment
An evaluation from a trained myofunctional therapist or airway-focused provider is crucial. To find one near you, we like this website, Tongue Tie Life, where you can find a list of preferred providers by state.
They’ll assess:
- Tongue range of motion (ROM)
- Oral resting posture
- Speech patterns
- Swallowing function
- Breathing and compensations
Pre-Release Myofunctional Therapy
Think of this like prehab before a knee surgery. Myofunctional therapy helps you:
- Learn proper tongue, lip, and jaw function
- Strengthen the muscles that have been compensating
- Retrain breathing and swallowing patterns
- Prepare for a smoother, safer release
Skipping this step is like skipping the map on a cross-country road trip! Plus, adults benefit greatly from a co-pilot to guide the way.
Adult release can be frustrating, but working with knowledgeable providers can help you avoid pitfalls and move through plateaus faster.
The Release Procedure (Frenectomy)
Performed by a provider trained in functional release — usually a dentist, ENT, or oral surgeon — this may involve:
- A scalpel, scissors, or laser—Most providers use a laser because it has faster healing times. But a skilled provider can use any tool and achieve good results. At times, both may be needed if the tissue is scarred from a previous release or unusually thick.
- Topical anesthetic or local numbing -typically, it’s like a dental visit to fill a cavity. A little numbing to the area, and then the release is completed. This can be quick and completed in less than 15 minutes!
- In-office procedure – similar to a dental visit, this procedure is performed in an office setting.
In many adult cases, scarring or thickened fascia requires more than a superficial snip — which is why the provider’s experience is everything. Using a preferred provider ensures your successful outcomes!
Post-Release Therapy and Bodywork
You’ll need guided stretches, healing protocols, and gentle myofascial release (yes, for the face and neck too!). This helps:
- Prevent reattachment
- Optimize tongue mobility
- Integrate new motor patterns
- Support your nervous system and alignment
What Happens If Adults Don’t Get Tongue Tie Fixed?
Let’s get real for a second. Not every tongue tie needs to be released. To provide a full picture and make the most informed decision, check out this article I wrote on the Disadvantages of Clipping a Tongue Tie in Adults.
But untreated restrictions that are causing dysfunction can absolutely lead to:
- Increased risk of sleep-disordered breathing (including sleep apnea)
- TMJ disorders and chronic head/neck tension
- Digestive issues from inefficient chewing or mouth breathing
- Orthodontic relapse — because your tongue is the retainer!
- Speech and voice strain
- Poor posture and muscular compensation
- Decreased quality of life
In short: if your tongue isn’t functioning the way it should, your whole body compensates — and not in flattering or sustainable ways.
Can Adults Get Tongue Tie Fixed… and Thrive?
YES. And it’s one of my favorite parts of this work.
I’ve had adult clients say:
“I can finally breathe through my nose at night — no more dry mouth!”
“I didn’t realize how much tension I was holding until it was gone.”
“My speech feels easier. Clearer. More confident.”
“I used to feel embarrassed when I ate in public — now I don’t think twice.”
The results vary, of course. Some adults notice instant improvements. Others experience more subtle, cumulative change. But the common thread? They all wish they had done it sooner!
FAQs: What Adults Ask Me All the Time When Considering Can Adults Get Tongue Tie Fixed
❓Will it hurt?
Most adult clients report mild discomfort during the procedure, and a “tight” or sore feeling afterward. With good aftercare and therapy, healing is manageable — and worth it. Typically, pain is managed with over-the-counter Tylenol or Arnica.
❓Is there an age limit?
Nope. You’re never too old to optimize your function. You can usually return to work and do everyday activities the next day. Some adults note a feeling of slushy speech for the first week as they adjust to their new range of motion.
❓What if I had it released as a kid?
It may have been incomplete. Or scar tissue may have reattached. A proper re-evaluation can help clarify.
❓Can it help with my speech?
Yes , especially if your articulation, rate, or clarity has been impacted by a restricted tongue.
❓Do I really need therapy too?
In a word: yes. Without myofunctional therapy and bodywork, many adult releases don’t produce lasting change.
Final Thoughts: Can Adults Get Tongue Tie Fixed?
If you’ve made it this far, chances are good that your gut already knows the answer.
Yes, adults can get tongue tie fixed — and in many cases, they should.
Not because you’re broken.
But because your body has been doing its best with what it’s got — and now it’s time to give it a better toolkit.
Tongue tie release in adulthood isn’t just about cutting tissue. It’s about restoring alignment, function, breath, and freedom.
And no matter your age, that kind of healing is always worth it.
Ready to Start?
Head to lynnstiedtogetherhub.com to browse more adult tongue tie resources and let us know if we can help!
Your tongue’s been tied for long enough. Let’s get it moving.