Orofacial “mouth and face” myofunctional “muscle function” therapy (OMT) is a neuromuscular re-education of the oral and facial muscles. It’s done through a series of tailored exercises, awareness, and reduction of muscle compensations. The overarching goal is to restore normal function by correcting improper muscle movements, teaching correct chewing, swallowing and breathing patterns, and improving airway health.
This therapy is used to manage a variety of disorders including:
- Tongue tie
- Tongue thrusting
- Low tongue posture/open mouth posture
- Mouth breathing
- Anterior open bite
- Grinding and/or clenching
- TMJ pain
- Snoring/sleep apnea
- Chronic headaches/neck and/or shoulder pain
- GERD
- Chronic bloating/gas
- Habit elimination such as thumb sucking/nail biting
- Lip and/or cheek biting
- Hair chewing
- Pencil and/or other object chewing
- Drooling
- Picky and/or messy eating
- Chronic fatigue/waking up tired
These dysfunctions can significantly affect sleep quality, dentition, chewing, swallowing, speech, and overall mental and physical health including hormone regulation, growth, attention span and more.
Myofunctional therapy is for everyone, both children and adults. It is completely non-invasive and can be instrumental in re-training the muscles of the face and tongue that have been in dysfunction for years. Restoring normal function to the tongue and facial muscles can have full body benefits.
Benefits of Myofunctional Therapy:
- Improved airway health
- Increased energy and alertness
- Reduced clenching/grinding
- Reduced TMJ pain and headaches
- Decreased sleep apnea and snoring
- Prevention of orthodontic relapse (teeth moving after braces)
- Increasing tone and mobility of oral structures
- Establishing symmetry to the face