Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy

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Personalized Therapy for Oral and Facial Muscle Coordination

Orofacial Myology is the study and treatment of oral and facial muscles as they relate to speech, chewing/bolus collection, swallowing, and overall mental and physical health. It observes and treats abnormal movement patterns of the face and mouth.

Children (developmentally four or older) and adults are candidates of Orofacial Myofunctional evaluation and treatment.

Symptoms

Tethered oral tissues (lip, buccal or tongue ties) **prior to a release and after**
Tongue thrust swallow pattern
Muscle weakness leading to problems sleeping
Clenching or grinding teeth
Mouth breathing
Drooling
Abnormal oral muscle patterns leading to temporomandibular disorder, migraines, neck pain
Inadequate muscle tone for chewing
Improper resting posture of the tongue
Prolonged thumb sucking, bottle or pacifier use
Digestive problems
Forward head posture
Picky eating
Articulation errors:
- t, d, n, l – impacted by a tongue tie
- s, z – impacted by poor lingual rest posture
- b, p, m – impacted by a lip tie

Collaborative, Whole-Patient Care

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy looks at the individual holistically and collaborates with other disciplines to maximize outcomes.

Orthodontists/Dentists: to ensure optimal orthodontic outcomes by training correct lingual resting posture and eliminating a tongue thrust swallow pattern
Release Providers: to prepare musculature for a tongue tie release AND for retraining the tongue after a release
ENT: train nasal breathing and correct tongue posture to habitual mouth breathers after the elimination of airway concerns
Physical Therapy: referred to if postural concerns exist including pelvic tilt, head forward posture, neck tilting, and/or asymmetry in shoulders as identified during the initial assessment