Short answer: not by itself. But after a release, the area can heal shorter and hold the tongue down again. That’s called reattachment, and it’s one of the most common problems after a release. Training the tongue before and after is how we work to prevent it.
Maybe you had a tongue tie released, and a few weeks or months later it feels tight again. Or you’re thinking about a release and want to know if it will last.
Both are good questions. Here’s what happens, and what makes the difference.
What “growing back” really means
A tongue tie isn’t a string that regrows. It’s a fold of fascia, the thin connective tissue that wraps muscles, under the lining of the mouth. A release cuts that tight fold so the tongue can move.
Then the area heals, like any cut. Healing tissue forms scar, and scar tightens as it matures. If the tongue stays low and still while that happens, the new tissue can end up short and pull the tongue back down. It isn’t the old tie coming back. It’s new scar doing the same job.
That’s why we keep the tongue moving and working while it heals.
How often does it happen?
Nobody has a good number. What we do know:
- In a national survey of children’s ear, nose and throat surgeons, 60% had seen a complication after a release, and reattachment was one of the two they saw most often.
- In a series of 348 children and adults who had a release plus myofunctional therapy, fewer than 5% had any minor complication. A few of those needed a second, small procedure to remove scar tissue.
Dhir S, Landau BP, Edemobi S, et al. Survey of pediatric otolaryngology frenotomy practice patterns. Laryngoscope. 2022;132(12):2505-2512. Zaghi S, Valcu-Pinkerton S, Jabara M, et al. Lingual frenuloplasty with myofunctional therapy: exploring safety and efficacy in 348 cases. Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol. 2019;4(5):489-496. The second study was one surgeon using scissors and stitches, with results reported by patients.
The other problem: the tongue falls back
Reattachment isn’t the only way a release can disappoint. If your tongue has rested low your whole life, it has never learned to sit up against the roof of your mouth. Once it’s free, it doesn’t find that spot on its own. We’ve seen tongues end up resting even lower and further back than before.
A free tongue still has to be taught where to go.
What helps a release last
- Training first. Usually 6 to 8 weeks of myofunctional therapy before the release, so the tongue is stronger and used to resting up. Once you can suction your tongue to the roof of your mouth, the structures underneath are pulled out of the way, which makes for a cleaner release.
- A careful release. Dr. Lee-Mirzayan, a dentist and certified myofunctional therapist, does the releases herself with a CO2 laser that cuts and seals at the same time.
- Training after. About 8 more weeks while it heals, so the tongue keeps its new range and learns its new resting spot.
The research is limited, but it points the same way. In a 2024 randomized trial of 155 children and adults, release plus therapy did significantly better than therapy alone for tongue movement, swallowing, breathing and resting posture. A 2022 review found the combination worked best.
Lichnowska A, Gnatek A, Tyszkiewicz S, et al. A prospective randomized control trial of lingual frenuloplasty with myofunctional therapy in patients with maxillofacial deformity in a Polish cohort. J Clin Med. 2024;13(18):5354. Gonzalez Garrido MDP, et al. Effectiveness of myofunctional therapy in ankyloglossia: a systematic review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(19):12347. No study has compared a release alone with a release plus training head to head. What we say about the tongue falling back comes from our own patients.
Signs it may have reattached
- Your tongue can’t lift as high as it could in the first weeks after the release.
- You can see or feel a tight band under the tongue again.
- The things that led you to the release, like mouth breathing, trouble swallowing or jaw tension, start coming back.
If you notice any of these, have it checked rather than waiting it out.
Can it be released again?
Yes. If scar tissue has formed, Dr. Lee-Mirzayan can release it again. Whether a second release makes sense for you is decided at an exam, and the training matters even more the second time.
Wondering about your tongue?
Our ten-question self-assessment takes under a minute. Or tell us what’s going on, or call 702-734-0776. More on how we approach a release is on our tongue-tie page.
General education, not a substitute for an exam.