Timely prediction of diversified effects of tethered oral tissues in infancy is utmost important for the proper development of the stomatognathic system.
Objective: To assess current opinion/knowledge of infant oral care specialists about the repercussions of tethered oral tissues in infants influencing function, growth, and development.
Study design: A cross-sectional survey was done among 192 dentists of which 46.35% were oral surgeons and 53.65% were pediatric dentists. The responses obtained were subjected to the statistical analysis using the Chi-square test.
Results: Most commonly reported conjectures include speech defects (77.6%), breastfeeding dysfunction (71.8%), midline spacing between teeth (71.4%), atypical swallowing (67.7%), followed by sleep issues (31.8%) and dentoskeletal alterations (43.2%). Least possibly reported conjectures are postural alterations (10.4%), caries susceptibility (13.5%), unexpected and unexplained asphyxia (15.6%), and tearing of gingival tissues (19.3%).
Conclusion: Both specialty dentists, i.e., pediatric dentists and oral surgeons, believe that tethered oral tissues cause breastfeeding dysfunction, speech impediments, midline diastema, and permanence of atypical swallowing but limited awareness exists about their consequences such as sleep and breathing disorders, caries initiation, gingival recession, malocclusions, and postural alterations.
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