What is Myofunctional Therapy?

We treat Orofacial Myofucntional Disorders (OMDs) by retraining the muscles to help individuals breathe, chew, speak, and swallow properly.

Orofacial myofunctional therapy is an individualized program of neuromuscular re-education exercises that aim to correct maladaptive oral habits and restore correct resting tongue & mouth posture, as well as promote nasal breathing & normal swallowing.

Symptoms associated with OMDs

Mouth Breathing

Snoring/Sleep Apnea

Tongue Thrust Swallowing

Digestive Issues

Toxic Oral Habits

Prolonged Bed Wetting

TMJ

Teeth Grinding

Tongue-Tie

Chronic Tension/Headaches

Speech Issues

Poor Sleep

FOCUSED ON FUNCTION.

Myofunctional Therapy often addresses multiple issues at a time while searching for the root cause of the symptom. Because many disorders start at infancy, we recommend screenings as early as age 4, especially if your child is still thumb sucking, using a pacifier, was unable to breastfeed or has another toxic oral habit.

Orthodontics

Myofunctional therapy is generally a compliment to orthodontics. In many cases, myofunctional therapy is completed prior to orthodontics to help promote proper craniofacial development, proper arch width, and retention to prevent orthodontic relapse.

Tongue-Thrust

A tongue-thrust swallow results in the force of the tongue pushing on your teeth every time you swallow, affecting tooth position and the success of orthodontics. This type of incorrect swallow may also lead to digestive issues, an open bite, and orthodontic relapse.

Mouth Breathing

Humans are obligate nasal breathers, meaning mouth breathing is a learned or adapted habit. Mouth breathing disrupts the gas exchange between Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide, and Nitric Oxide in the body, decreasing oxygen uptake in the blood stream. Mouth breathing also affects digestion, increases your risk for cavities, and may make it harder for you to control gum disease (bleeding gums).

Tongue-Tie

Everyone has a lingual frenum, but where it attaches the tongue to the floor of the mouth differs for everyone. More importantly, it affects everyones function differently. Because many muscles of the tongue & neck are connected, having a tongue restriction can affect speech, chewing, swallowing, & cause tension in the head & neck (and even the hips).