Table 3.
Anatomical aspects and characteristic of the lingual frenulum, according to the protocol applied to evaluate the lingual frenulum – BTAT – Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira, Pernambuco, Brazil, 2016
| Anatomical aspects and characteristics of the lingual frenulum | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance of the tip of the tongue | ||
| Heart-shaped | 12 | 2.7 |
| Slit/notched tongue | 8 | 1.8 |
| Round | 429 | 95.5 |
| Fixation of the frenulum in the lower alveolus | ||
| Attached to the upper part/top of the gingiva | 1 | 0.2 |
| Attached to the inner side of the gingiva/back | 25 | 5.5 |
| Attached in the middle of the mouth floor | 423 | 94.2 |
| Tongue elevation during crying with mouth open | ||
| Minimal elevation | 8 | 1.8 |
| Elevation only of the borders of the tongue toward the hard palate | 6 | 1.3 |
| Complete elevation of the tongue toward the hard palate | 435 | 96.8 |
| Protrusion of the tongue over the gingiva | ||
| Tongue tip behind the gingiva | 4 | 0.8 |
| Tongue tip over the gingiva | 10 | 2.2 |
| Tongue tip may extend over the lower lip | 435 | 96.8 |
BTAT, Bristol Tongue Assessment Tool.
Total of 449 assessed infants.