Myofunctional Therapy

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Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs) stem from a discrepancy in the oral and facial muscles which can lead to problems eating, sleeping, speech, daily function, and many more.

OMDs may affect, directly and/or indirectly, breastfeeding, facial skeletal growth and development, chewing, swallowing, speech, occlusion, temporomandibular joint movement, oral hygiene, stability of orthodontic treatment, facial esthetics, and more.  

Here are some common reasons for considering myofunctional therapy: 

• Abnormal oral rest posture (i.e., jaw hinged open, lips apart, tongue resting against teeth, between teeth, or low in mandible)
• Bruxism (i.e., teeth grinding) and/or clenching
• Poor nasal breathing (can be due to trauma, allergies, enlarged turbinates etc.)
• Atypical oral placement for speech resulting in slurring, mumbling, and overall unintelligibility 
• Anterior lingual thrust a.k.a tongue thrust(i.e., tongue protrusion while speaking and/or swallowing
• Poor mastication and bolus management (i.e., poor chewing and maintaining food/drink in the mouth)
• Lip incompetency or weakness (observing chapped lips)
• Poor oral habits (i.e., thumb sucking, nail biting, tongue sucking)