It has been my observation that there are significant changes occurring long after the surface layer has healed! The connective tissue in the floor of the mouth goes through an amazing process over the months following a release. When you consider the profound impact these tiny pieces of tight tissue have on (at times) the entire body, the unfolding of function that follows such a release is quite remarkable! 

For many moms who find themselves in the midst of a "Tether-berg" situation, I tell them, for the sake of their baby or child, to "Ride the Bull." As many moms have experienced, the weeks and even months after oral tissue release can literally be a wild ride, filled with many ups and downs. From what I understand about bull riding, the goal is to hang on for a certain amount of time and try not to get thrown to the ground; recovering and attaining new oral function can be no different than trying to win a rodeo. 

Muscle movement from the tongue helps recover the nervous system (not just of the tongue, but the whole body). Input from the nervous system helps heal the tissue. Freed tissue helps drive muscle movement and synergistic feedback continues to drive this changing, dynamic system. There are many ways in which positive impact can be made: touch and pressure (exercises and massage), movement (breastfeeding and muscle work), vibration and stimulation (sensory work and chiropractic care, tummy time and yoga), and most importantly, establishing proper nasal breathing and solid quality nutrition.

All of these methods open up the oral system, help break up old patterns, and encourage new movement. The goal of frenectomy and oral rehabilitation is optimal oral function. Optimal nasal breathing and oral function helps drive proper facial growth and development. Adequate airway formation and facial growth, along with a stable nervous system, are part of the foundation of a healthy life. 

If you feel that you are not getting perfect or ideal results and feel that function is not shaking out as you'd hoped, just remember that oral rehabilitation is a process, not an event. Like steps on a staircase, you'll take steps and then take a break as you work your way to optimal. Over the childhood years, addressing residual or new needs as they arise is a way of gifting your child with health that lasts a lifetime. 

Many moms address the breastfeeding or feeding issues in their children with frenectomies. Most are hoping that they will also address a host of future issues as well. While it's true that snoring, TMJD (temporomandibular joint disease), orthodontic issues and posture are closely correlated with oral restrictions, all of those future issues will not resolve unless the whole person is addressed throughout the early growth years. 

Situations like less than ideal healing, neurological imbalances, muscle weaknesses, and mouth breathing are all occurrences that must be worked through. Other concerns like sleep issues, gagging on solids, mouth breathing, and dental arch development are all opportunities to continue guiding your child to optimal growth and development. 

By keeping your eyes focused on the GAINS, and a pulse on what is lacking, you can keep "Riding the Bull" with confidence. Ride and don't get thrown. Ride to win!

Tether-Floe babies have all of their issues floating on the top of the water, so to speak. The tether is the clue and solution to their breastfeeding problems. For them, the laser or scissor frenectomy IS the answer. 
                                        Poof! 
The problems begin to melt away, whether quickly or slowly, and within a short amount of time (days to weeks) these babies are breastfeeding like champs, gaining weight, and not hurting their moms any longer. For them, there were no underlying issues (or at least it seems so). The presenting problem is addressed and the breastfeeding relationship is saved. 

Tether-Floe babies may not require much in aftercare of the procedure site, may not require bodywork or special interventions to help with head movement, seem to latch themselves, and moms often don't seek out the help of a lactation consultant since their issues seem resolved. It's an almost-magical experience for them. 

Oral Frena are the fibrous attachments of the lips and tongue to the cranium/skull, and the mouth/jaw. They are naturally occurring structures. Just like any aspect of human anatomy, they differ among people. These structures are under various influences, such as: heredity, epigenetics, nutritional dynamics, biochemistry, and the nervous system. 

These oral attachments are connected via the fascia to the rest of the body. Fascia is the connective tissue that gives our body its shape. Fascia is like the spray insulation in the wall of a house, or the packing material in a box that keeps the contents from getting broken or thrown around. Fascia can become twisted and cause restrictions, as well as impede blood and nerve flow. Together, these fascial fibers form 'trains' that run the length of our bodies and around our bodies. 

The oral frena can be abnormally attached (as when restricted or tied) and in need of release. Sometimes they are released and the surrounding structures remain tight and require release in other places, such as the neck, abdomen and hips. Babies in these situations can get relief from restrictions via Pediatric Chiropractic adjustments, TummyTime™, Craniosacral Fascial Technique, CranioSacral Therapy, Bowen Therapy, and other therapies that address the nervous system and soft tissue. These therapies address the "berg" part of the tether -- the part under the surface that might still be causing issues. Tether-Berg might present as Torticollis, a preference to a side or breast, difficulty turning the head to one side, a hip that doesn't straighten or flex easily, or an arm or arms that don't raise well. 

When a tether is released, there is also an impact on the connected fascia and related musculature/fascial trains deep in the body. For some people who are more tightly connected, this release can be a huge relief and yield a shift in tension permanently. For others, the shift might occur initially, but other fascial trains take the remnant of the deeper restriction and transfer it to another part of the body. 

While these therapies in relation to oral tethers are not directly scientifically proven modalities to treat the accompanying issues of Tethered Oral Tissues, the principles behind using them are well documented. 

Imagine for a moment, this relaxed, mobile baby growing up with good head posture, great agility, a solid nervous system that handles what life brings, the ability to chew well, swallow without difficulty, breathe freely and form large dental arches full of straight teeth. It doesn't have to be a dream; it can be a reality with proper management and intervention when symptoms are treated. 

Unfortunately, our medical system is not equipped to handle Tether-Berg babies, or even babies that exhibit signs of Oral Dysfunction. If there isn't a prescription to write, a procedure to perform, or a referral to make, these babies fall through the cracks of the current disease-based medical paradigm. Moms are on their own seeking wellness and health-based answers. 

Our Western culture is generations away from remembering how to instinctively manage these issues. In other countries and cultures, even today, moms massage, unfurl, and work the soft tissues of their babies. Mothers in Africa, India and other countries have preserved this work with their babies. It is refreshing to see moms seeking answers for their little ones. Hopefully, knowledge like this will bring an understanding of babies that helps the new generation become happy and healthy.  

References for further exploration: 

Chiropractic Care for the Breastfeeding Dyad
Sharon A. Vallone, DC, DICCP
Hartford CT USA
From: LEAVEN, Vol. 39 No. 6, December 2003-January 2004, pp. 126-27.

http://www.runnersworld.com/injury-treatment/understanding-your-fascia

Craniosacral Fascial Technique
http://www.gillespieapproach.com
CranioSacralTherapy
http://www.carolgray.com/carolgray/About_Carol_Gray.html
http://www.upledger.com
Cranial Adjusting Turner Style
http://www.turnerwellness.com
Tummy Time
http://www.lovetummytime.com

FASCIA SCIENCE AND CLINICAL APPLICATIONS: HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Fascia Research Congress Evidence from the 100 year perspective of Andrew Taylor Still
Thomas W. Findley, MD PhD a,b,*, Mona Shalwala, MS-IV c

Int J Ther Massage Bodywork. 2009; 2(3): 10–17. 
Published online Sep 23, 2009. 
PMCID: PMC3091471
Understanding the Process of Fascial Unwinding Budiman Minasny, PhD

J Multidiscip Healthc. 2014; 7: 11–24. 
Published online Dec 28, 2013. doi:  10.2147/JMDH.S52870
PMCID: PMC3883554
Skin, fascias, and scars: symptoms and systemic connections
Bruno Bordoni1 and  Emiliano Zanier2 

Posture, etiology of a syndrome - The case study - Pathomechanics http://www.paoloplatania.it/engPosture_theCaseStudy04.htm 

A retrospective review of frenotomy in neonates and infants with feeding difficulties§
Mark W. Steehler a,b,c, Matthew K. Steehler d,*, Earl H. Harley d 
International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology 76 (2012) 1236–1240

August 2016 update:
This Blog post has been shared tens of thousands of times with views in the hundreds of thousands. I have received thousands of e-mails from all over the world concerning the content. While I appreciate comments and questions are welcome, please understand that I don't answer specific treatment questions. Consultation time is available via Skype at an hourly rate. All of us have questions regarding our conditions and treatment and even issues during treatment. All of us present or "come to the table" with different compensations and compounding issues that make solutions, bio-hacks and priorities different for each person. The genius behind effective treatment in the realm of cranio-facial change is knowing when and what to do to "allow" for change. That will look different for each individual.



If you had told me 12 years ago that the severe migraines I was having could be "cured" in two weeks, I am not sure I would have believed you. 

The headaches were debilitating. The only thing that helped was a dark room....for 3 days. At the time, we had just moved from my lifelong home of The Mississippi Gulf Coast with our 5 children, ages 9 to 1. I was an "unschooling" "home birthing" "crunchy mama" and dentists wife who cooked from scratch, ate organic and certainly did not use Fluoride!! I wasn't about to take a Migraine medication. I was baffled that someone who could have 5 natural births, would have such pain in my shoulder neck and head. 

Over the 10 years, I'd learned the triggers; Stress, low blood sugar, lifting anything heavier than the baby, and crying. So, I avoided crying, at all costs. Still, PMS and 'hormones' triggered a 3 day darkness binge. My 'syndrome' of factors would have probably gotten me offers of anti-depressants and other meds. What physician really knows what to do with a symptom list like this: 

• No energy
• 12 days of Migraines per month
• Pain in my legs and feet, difficulty standing for long periods
• Right shoulder issues and chronic neck tension
• Not feeling rested after a nights sleep
• Tooth grinding and Clenching

I tried natural hormone replacement therapy, weight lifting to help with the muscle imbalances, dietary changes (gluten free, sugar free, dairy free) and specific carbohydrate diet.. Nothing seemed to help. One day, I looked at my dear husband and said "Do. Some. Thing. I am so miserable." 

It's well documented among health care professionals that they prefer not to treat their own family!  I respected him as a practitioner and as it turns out, he could not formulate a plan for me, the person he loved, and take the chance that it may not work. However, what we would learn about the co-factors in my 'syndrome' would change not only my life, but his practice. 

First stop was the Chiropractor. He was great! Adjustments did not relieve me of my headaches but at least he had the opportunity of diagnosing me with Fibromyalgia. This was really eyeopening since I was not aware that my trigger points were active and that I was experiencing low level pain constantly. Apparently, I am a type that does not perceive pain in such a way as to recognize or perceive a problem until the damage is done.

Next stop was a TMJ expert. Certainly my Temporomandibular Joint could be part of this problem? Right? 
The take home message from this stop was that I had actually 'shrunk' my life to fit my low activity tolerance. In other words, I was doing less and less so as to not trigger a migraine! I had compensated by reducing my expenditure so as not to suffer a headache. He 'treated' my  TMJ but I received no relief from my headaches. Thousands of dollars later, I was still in pain. 

After my initial TMJ 'treatment' I was left in the unexpected place of requiring orthodontics....again. I had 'ortho' prior at age 15. 

At age 12, my orthodontist wanted to "pull 4 teeth because my mouth was not big enough." Fortunately, my parents were unable to afford ortho at that time and by the time they could afford it my "mouth had grown" so the teeth were not pulled. I was placed in retractive headgear to correct the 'overbite' and placed in retainers 11 mos later. 

So my current orthodontist put me in braces after the TMJ treatment at my request because I wanted to "just look good while I died." This was a drama filled statement, but truthful! I was still having headaches and really didn't believe I would ever truly feel good. 

My orthodontist was very clear "Correct that swallow or I will not be able to get your teeth to come together in the front!" I did not realize how much my bite had opened since I was 15 years old! 

Fortunately, my Dr. understood Myofunctional Disorders and correctly diagnosed me with a "Tongue Thrust". This was the very first time I had heard of such a thing and could not imagine why even my TMJ Dr. had not spoken to me of the need for exercises that would help me. 

A Few short months after his diagnosis, I found myself in my first comprehensive Oral Myology course. With a bachelors in nursing and extensive experience and Continuing Education in dentistry, I had the right background to be able to take the course. That decision was made easier by the fact that the closest Myofunctional Therapists were 3 and 6 hours away. 

Right after beginning Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy exercises, my headaches stopped. I even TRIED to give myself a headache and I couldn't. The feeling of being headache free was nothing short of miraculous. 

Exercises were easy and painless, plus the changes came quickly. I was neurologically repatterning muscle movements that had been in place all of my life.  My Myologist also added Buteyko Breathing to my treatment to help retraining my breath. 

The combination of correct oral rest posture, correct muscle use in swallow and the regulation of my breathing was literally life changing. Energy improved, I began to relax, I felt more in control and could calm myself much easier when stressed. Life improved.

• That chronic tonsillitis after moving back into our renovated home after Hurricane Camille was causing me breathing difficulties
• That the "open mouth posture" I demonstrated from this airway obstruction was really a "sign" of an airway issue
• That this posture would affect my facial growth and development as well as impact my muscle patterns of swallow and posture
• That the type of retractive orthodontics I had would cause me even further aiway issues
• That my ortho results would relapse because my underlying myofunctional disorders were never addressed. 
• That the muscle compensations I developed trying to swallow would one day cause debilitating migraines. 
• That my constant coughing and choking on liquids was a result of a congenital defect that was missed at birth
• That my footling breech birth caused me to carry birth trauma all of my life reflected in my posture

I was an infant who breastfed "just fine" and "had no problems" but was indeed Posteriorly Tongue Tied. My Upper Lip had a Class 4 tie as well, which is why I had a recurring gap between my teeth. Since there is no screening evaluation of Oral Function at birth, I flew under the radar in all arenas of healthcare. Not one practitioner saw my tonsils, mouth posture or facial growth and development as a problem! Even with 12 days of Migraines a month, no one ever connected my breathing, airway and muscle movements to my headaches. Do the math...12 days a month X 10 years. I spent a large chunk of my life in bed, in pain. 

While Myofunctional Therapy cleared the 3 day Migraines, I still did not feel fully relaxed in the shoulders and back. Knots in my trapezius muscles were still common. I still saw my chiropractor regularly and I still worked very hard to maintain a good Oral Rest Posture, with my tongue to the palate. But I was so thankful to be able to fully function, I did not focus on the residual issues. The Fibromyalgia cleared after starting Buteyko Breathing as well. 

Since my journey so far had been one of very good fortune, I was not at all surprised at what happened next. 

At an Advanced Myofunctional Therapy course I met a physical therapist who gave me the final piece of my 'puzzle'. 

I had obtained great strength and range of motion with my tongue and learned to activate and strengthen the muscles of my neck (which probably explains why my symptoms improved....I was now sleeping and breathing better!). 

The PT confirmed that I had a Posterior Tongue Tie. 

It was demonstrated to me the connection of Tongue Tie to my headaches via a simple screening assessment. She showed me how the congenital over attachment of tissue under the tongue connected to my hyoid bone, my upper cervical spine (C1 and C2) and then to my cranial Dura (the connective tissue surrounding the brain).  

These C1 and C2 areas were always "out" at Chiropractic adjustment. Another area that was extremely painful to adjust was the Thoracic spine. There was a 'twist' there that literally put me in tears when adjusted. The Right Scapula was always the beginning of the trigger point chain that started the Migraine activation sequence. Once that Right rhomboid activated, it was just a matter of time before the impulses ran up the trigger point chain; R rhomboid, R trapezius, R occipital lobe, R temporalis and then the R eye. Then....good night for 3 days. No medication touched that pain. 

My Chiropractor used a cranial technique called "CATS" or "Cranial Adjusting Turner Style". This is a powerful tool based in Osteopathic manipulation that aligns the cranial joints or 'sutures'. My cranial  birth trauma followed me for years, apparently impacting my nervous system. These cranial adjusting treatments felt wonderful and the relaxation in my nervous system was palpable. I contribute CATS with a large part of the amazing cranial dimension results seen in my "after" pictures. 

Most people are aware of a "Tongue Tie" that is complete and restricts the tongue completely, even to the tip so that one cannot stick out their tongue. But did you know that one can be "tied" and be able to stick out the tongue really far? It's true. The connection lies deep in the floor of the mouth. 

Steve had been thrilled with all of my research, efforts and education. He was happy to help me go back to school, launch a new career in Myofunctional Therapy and learn along side me. For 20 years, he had released Lingual ties of all types with scalpel and now was using laser. Releasing the posterior in an adult is not something taught to practitioners and can be tricky. He had learned post graduate and was very skilled so I was excited about the process. 

After the course, he released my Posterior Tie with his Diode Laser. I'll write more about that in another post. The process was nothing short of phenomenal and life changing. Basically, the results were:

• Chiropractic adjustment had never been better. She was finally able to adjust the thoracic spine comfortably and completely.
• Neck and shoulder tension melted. The relief was huge.
• After years of foot and leg pain, I was able to wear cheap flats all day and run in flat shoes without pain.
• I slept better and woke refreshed, but was already doing that after the Myofunctional Therapy
• Breathing improved and seemed more effortless. Ortho and Buteyko had helped with the breath.
• I required less chiropractic care
• No grinding and clenching
• Jaw position came forward and felt very relaxed

Many people today are hearing of the issues related to Tongue Tie and in particular Posterior Tongue Tie. They are getting frenectomies to help with most of the issues that I struggled with. 

I am SO GLAD that I did not get a frenectomy without the Myofunctional Therapy. I would have missed out on so many other health benefits had I not addressed the full scope of my Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders. 

The suffering I went through was difficult, but I learned so much. It has empowered me to help others in a very holistic way. My journey has allowed me to help many women who suffer from the same symptoms I did....and get results. 

Thank you for reading. It was a long story, a long process and I hope that my story inspires you to seek answers to your health dilemmas. 

These photos were taken about two years apart. Here are my results. 
Photos are Copyrighted and not to be used apart from this Site.

This is my personal story and experience with diagnosing Oral Dysfunction and Normalizing Oral Function. I hope to share in the future more specifics on how this journey created a career, changed Steve's practice and helped my children in numerous ways. 



Special Thanks to Karen Samuelson, RDH, COM. She taught the first Comprehensive Oral Myology course I took.
Thank you for Joy Lea Moeller, RDH, OMT and the AOMT, who provided subsequent learning opportunities. 
Much appreciation to my Chiropractor, Dr. Robin Henderson at Greenleaf Chiropractic.