​wHAT IS myofunctional THERAPY?

Did you know your tongue has 8 different muscles? Or that your jaw is joined together by two of the most complex joints in your entire body? Your face is responsible for a lot! There is a very complex relationship between your temporomandibular joints and the surrounding muscles of your lips and face, which work together to help you eat, speak, swallow, express emotions, and more. You can see how important for these muscles and joints to work to together properly. If they don’t, you may be experiencing an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder (OMD).
​
When part of this complex network of joints and muscles isn’t functioning correctly, however, it can create a ripple effect, leading to jaw pain as well as a surprising number of symptoms throughout the body. Some of these symptoms seem so random that many patients don’t connect the dots between them until after they’ve been diagnosed, which just goes to show how complex and amazingly interconnected the human body is. Thankfully, this relationship can benefit you too.

​Restoring the harmony between your joints and muscles can resolve your symptoms, helping you feel healthier overall. We know the relationship between your TMJ and orofacial muscles can seem complex, so we’ve broken it down to help you better understand your symptoms and whether or not you may need to be evaluated for an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder.

signs you may need myofunctional therapy

Since there are many potential causes of an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder, there’s also a wide range of symptoms, not all of which will impact everyone with an OMD. These symptoms include:
  • Habitual mouth breathing
  • Constantly parted lips
  • Clicking or popping of jaw
  • Misaligned teeth
  • Poor sleep
  • Grinding teeth
  • Bedwetting
  • Cavities
  • Improper swallowing (i.e. Tongue touches teeth when swallowing)
  • Temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMD, which can lead to a range of symptoms like a painful jaw, frequent headaches or migraines, muscle soreness in the neck, shoulders, and back, temporary hearing loss, and more
  • Speech problems like a lisp or other speech impediment
  • Orthodontic issues
  • Picky eater- often eliminating meat and vegetables
  • ​Spitting out or gagging on foods
  • Multiple swallows to clear food from mouth
  • ​Incorrect oral posture, which is when your tongue presses against or between your teeth instead of resting gently against the roof of your mouth, is also a common symptom of an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder. The constant pressure of your tongue against your teeth can also cause persistent orthodontic issues, where your teeth begin shifting again even after you’ve straightened them. This is because your tongue is exerting constant pressure on your teeth, shifting them out of place. Thankfully, treating your Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder with myofunctional therapy can resolve the root cause of your teeth shifting, ensuring your orthodontic treatments remain permanent.
  • Stomach aches from swallowing too much air or not chewing your food enough
  • Obstructive sleep apnea or sleep disordered breathing.

This list of symptoms might sound overwhelming, but they’re not inevitable; every case is different, so no one will have every single one of these symptoms. Plus, the symptoms you do have aren’t here to stay. In fact, treating an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder and relieving symptoms like these is likely easier than you’re expecting. The first step toward feeling better is even easier: getting evaluated.

causes

There are several potential causes for an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder, many of which originate in childhood. A common thread in the causes of an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder is that they impact the way you use the muscles of your face and lips. Your muscles become trained to function in this new way, causing muscles to carry out jobs, hold positions they wouldn’t normally, or get used much less often than they otherwise would. This can make some muscles weaker than they should be and impact the way they function together. Common causes include:
  • Airway insufficiencies, like allergies and enlarged tonsils or adenoids, particularly when the nasal passages are obstructed
  • Tongue tie, which is when the bit of tissue connecting the tongue to the floor of the mouth is either too thick or too short, making it difficult to swallow or position the tongue normally
  • Clenching or grinding teeth
  • Chewing on fingernails or the inside of your cheek
  • Developmental delays
  • Neurological problems
  • Thumb sucking or pacifier use past the age of three years old
  • Hereditary predisposition

our evalution

If these symptoms sound familiar and you suspect you might have an OMD, the best thing to do is call us to schedule an evaluation. Our evaluations take place virtually and are for children 6 and up (or matures 4/5 year olds who can follow complex directions). During your evaluation, your therapist will examine your teeth, jaws, tongue, and airway, looking for any abnormalities like a tongue tie, enlarged tonsils, or orthodontic issues. They may also pay attention to details like the appearance of your face, especially when it’s relaxed, the way you swallow and speak, and whether you breathe through your nose or your mouth. We also assess feeding as we are trained feeding specialists as well. We observe the swallow and how you move food and liquids around in your mouth.

​The evaluation is 90 minutes and can be done from the comfort of your home as it is completely virtually. The evaluation comes with a full in depth report. We will also send a report to your dentist and or orthodontist to collaborate so you get the best possible collaborative treatment. 

our therapy approach

Thankfully, myofunctional therapy tends to be incredibly simple. In large part, treatment is a matter of strengthening the muscles in your cheeks, lips, tongue, face, and jaw and retraining them to function together properly. This is surprisingly easy, simply requiring you to practice simple, easy exercises daily. Our sessions are 30 minutes and can be done from the comfort of your home or office. We meet once weekly until you have mastered all the skills and then back down to twice a month, once a month, then quick check ins until we feel you have habituated to your new way of swallowing. 

In the long run, the best way of treating OMDs is to take a holistic approach, working with several different specialists to address every angle of how your specific case impacts you. During your treatment, you may also receive treatment from an orthodontist, allergist, dentist, or a sleep doctor. Since everyone’s case is different, the specialists you work with and the length of your treatment will be different from others, and that’s OK! It means you’re receiving the best care for you, specifically designed to give you the best results possible.

our success stories

BILL

Before: Bill came to us at 14 years old after he had completed invisalign treatment. His dentist referred because they couldn't understand why there was an open bite on his left side. Will's tongue resting posture was low and to the left, causing an open bite. 

After: We corrected the tongue resting posture as well as the jaw instability, tongue strength and range of motion, as well as his tongue thrust swallow. After only 7 sessions of diligent practice at home by Bill, his teeth have shifted and there is no longer a gap! 
OLIVIA

Before: Olivia came to us at the age of 10 and had an incorrect resting tongue posture at all times. She had a lisp for years with speech therapy that was never remediated.  Her tongue range of motion, strength and coordination were all weak. When eating, she was unable to move food around in his mouth and compensated a lot using other muscles. She was referred by her dentist due to concerns of tongue thrusting. 

After: Olivia had an undiagnosed tongue and lip tie that cased suboptimal oral functioning. We did pre-therapy to address the oral motor concerns and then therapy post procedure to relearn how to swallow correctly. We were able to remediate her resting tongue posture, correct her tongue thrust swallow, improve her range of motion and coordination, correct jaw strength and her swallow. We also corrected all speech sound errors, toned her cheeks, and improved her sleep quality all in 6 months! Her orthodontist said that his teeth were shifting to where they needed to go and she no longer would need the braces she was scheduled to receive! 
KEN

Before: Ken came to us at the age of 9. He was referred by his dentist because his tongue would push against his teeth, causing them to shift. He had a tongue tie, improper tongue resting posture, and tongue thrust swallow. Ken was diagnosed with ADHD and went to a special school for children with attentional issues. 


After: After 4 months of myofunctional therapy as well as using the Myobrace at night, Ken not only corrected his tongue resting posture, learned how to swallow correctly, but his focus in school improved as well! Mom reported that he was the only child in class who outgrew his accommodations and his grades have never been better! She attributes it to his better sleep now that he is nasal breathing! His dentist is pleased with the progress his mouth has made and he won't be needed orthodontia in the future. Ken did not need to have a release to overcome his challenges.  
RACHEL
​
Before: Rachel came to us as an adult at 31 years of age because she wanted to be healthier and to do that, she knew she needed to expand the types of foods she was eating. Rachel's oral motor skills were lacking and she had an undiagnosed tongue tie that really made moving food around in her mouth challenging. She also had a tongue thrust swallow, poor jaw strength and stability, and poor tongue strength and coordination.

After: After 3 months of feeding and myofunctional therapy, she incorporated foods like fish, which she previously would gag at. She mastered chewing and was able to chew foods like steak that previously would make her gag. She remediated her tongue thrust, and remediated her jaw and tongue weakness. Rachel did not need to have a release to overcome her challenges.