Frequently Asked Questions
What is Myofunctional Therapy?
Myofunctional therapy also known as orofacial myology, oral facial myofunctional therapy; is a type of treatment that addresses the way the tongue and oral muscles move and function. Many people experience low muscle tone and swallowing issues that can lead to health problems.
Myofunctional therapy is based on a series of exercises that help patients learn to change poor habits. This improves tongue position, breathing, speaking, chewing and swallowing, which can have a huge impact on their overall health and wellbeing.
How does Myofucntional Therapy work?
Myofunctional therapy is an exercise-based treatment, so I teach my patients exercises that help improve tongue placement, breathing, speaking, chewing and swallowing.
My goal is to teach exercises for the tongue and facial muscles to improve nasal breathing, tongue posture, proper swallow technique, and lip seal. Once we achieve proper muscle tone and posture during the day; this translate into proper tongue position during the night to allow for complete nasal breathing during sleep.
What is a tongue thrust?
A tongue thrust is the improper swallowing motion of the tongue. Dental specialists are concerned with the effects of a tongue thrust as it can cause poor facial growth and/or crowded teeth, while speech pathologists are focused on how the tongue movement creates speech problems such as a lisp.
What are the goals of Myofunctional Therapy?
There are 4 goals of treatment. Nasal Breathing, Lip Seal, Proper Tongue Posture, and Proper Swallow Technique. Myofunctional therapy focuses on these goals to treat dysfunctional breathing that can be caused from poor oral habits or a physical restriction such as a tongue tie.
Who would benefit from Myofunctional therapy?
Myofunctional therapy is a minimally invasive and natural method to help poor oral muscle dysfunctions. Both adults and children can benefit from this therapy by developing a program to recondition poor muscle function. When there is low resting tongue posture (where the tongue does not completely fit and rest up on the roof of the mouth), It can contribute to poor facial growth in children, crowding of the teeth, obstructive airway disorders, and mouth breathing.
Will Myofunctional therapy alone address all of my concerns?
A Myofunctional therapist (OMT) will collaborate with several different health care providers. Consider your OMT as the quarterback for guiding you through your healthcare journey. An OMT will refer you to other providers during your treatment as needed to optimize your care.