Four Goals of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT for short) is a type of therapy to retrain and strengthen the muscles of the face, lips, tongue and jaw and is becoming more mainstream. This non-invasive, exercise-based therapy is one of the best ways to correct orofacial myofunctional disorders.
There are many reasons why clients contact me these days for therapy. They can range from mouth breathing to sleep apnea, help with a child's thumb sucking habit or orthodontic relapse, just to name a few. I see clients of all ages from children to seniors and all are looking for help in correcting a variety of myofunctional disorders.
No matter what the myofunctional disorder is, whether it be symptoms of clenching and grinding teeth or a tongue-thrust, I let my clients know that I have four goals for them to accomplish by the end of their treatment sessions. If they can master these four goals, they will typically get the results they are looking for to correct their other problems.
The four goals of myofunctional therapy are:
- Nasal Breathing
- Proper Tongue Posture
- Correct Swallowing Pattern
- Lip Seal
You may be thinking "how hard can it be to breathe through your nose, keep your mouth shut, rest your tongue properly and swallow?" I know, it doesn't seem like it would be that challenging but, as many of my clients would agree, it's just not that easy, and can be harder than it looks without the proper guidance and therapy.
So, why are these goals challenging, and why do you need a Myofunctional Therapist to help you accomplish them?
Habits are hard to break
Most of the time, myofunctional disorders start at an early age in childhood. Frequent congestion as a child from colds, allergies or enlarged tonsils and adenoids can lead to difficulty breathing through the nose. If we cannot easily breathe through our nose, we are forced to switch over to mouth breathing. Over time, mouth breathing becomes the new habit and even if we can eventually breathe through our nose again we likely won't because the muscles in our face and tongue we need to control when breathing have not learned to function properly.
Other myofunctional disorders may also begin in childhood. With thumb sucking, prolonged use of a pacifier, bottles or sippy cups or even having a tongue tie, the tongue may have never learned to rest properly in the roof of the mouth which can lead to a tongue thrust or low tongue posture. When this happens, the tongue may push forward against or through the teeth when swallowing, possibly leading to shifting of teeth, digestive issues or speech concerns.
In many cases, mouth breathing, tongue thrust or a low resting tongue posture may also alter the normal growth and develop of the jaws and face.
How can an Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist help me or my child?
Initially at an evaluation visit, clients are screened for myofunctional disorders and any contributing factors such as tongue tie, allergies, habits and past medical and dental history. After a thorough assessment, a therapy program is tailored to meet each individual's needs, keeping in mind the Four Goals of Myofunctional Therapy.
Each therapy session will cover three to four exercises, designed to target specific orofacial muscle groups. Clients will be need to practice these exercises twice a day to achieve the best results. The good news is that the exercises only take about five or six minutes to complete.
Along with teaching exercises, I also help clients develop an awareness of their orofacial patterns and habits. Learning to be aware and mindful of where your tongue is resting and if your mouth is closed will help be the key to achieving the Four Goals of Therapy.
Since every client is different in their needs for therapy, treatment length will vary. Many clients achieve great results within twelve therapy sessions however, some may require less or more sessions depending on the severity of the case.
If you would like to know more about how accomplishing the Four Goals of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy can help you, please contact me today.