Tongue Bifurcation
Tonge Bifucation or Tongue Splitting involves cutting the connective tissue between two already separate muscles in the tongue so that they may move independent of each other. The inside edge of each half is then sutured closed to keep out bacteria, speed healing and create a rounded natural looking edge. The sutures are removed after 5 to 7 days and normal eating, speech and movement are restored anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months. Control over the individual muscles requires practice, as does working past certain speech artifacts or trouble with certain sounds (ie:"ZZz", "Th" and "Sss" sounds). Taking time in front of a mirror to learn how to move your tongue and pronounce difficult words will drastically shorten the time needed to get back to normal speech. Most people usually have no noticeable lisp or issues after 2-3 weeks.