What is Orofacial Myology?
"Orofacial Myology is a specialized oral discipline that evaluates and treats a variety of oral and facial (orofacial) muscle (myo-) postural and functional disorders and habit patterns that may disrupt normal dental development and also create cosmetic problems." - IAOM
Orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMD) may have a negative effect on the development of the teeth and jaws, which may cause misarticulated speech patterns.
A tongue thrust, or incorrect swallow pattern and tongue resting posture, is the most common OMD. During rest, an incorrect position of the tongue may contribute to improper orofacial development, misalignment of the teeth, and articulation errors.
Restoring a normal rest posture of the tongue and lips and eliminating an incorrect swallow pattern can:
Help guide the teeth into a more desirable relationship during the growth and development years
Assist the dentist or orthodontist in aligning the teeth and jaws properly
Assist stabilization of the teeth during and/or after orthodontic treatment and/or surgery
What about persistent thumb, finger or pacifier sucking?
When a child sucks their thumb, finger or pacifier they can reshape the soft tissue of their palate and therefore the foundational structures of the mouth and face. It is necessary that these habits be eliminated first before beginning any sort of myofunctional therapy. Developmental changes due to thumb, finger, and pacifier sucking include a narrow or vaulted arch in the palate, cross bite, crowded and misaligned teeth due to the reshaping of the arch of the mouth. At Miller Therapy we specialize in oral habit elimination - We can stop the habitual sucking.
Infant Feeding Issues?
For infants with tethered oral tissues (i.e., tongue and lip tie), pre and post-op treatment is provided. This is essential to helping an infant who is struggling to feed. Therapy reduces the risk of reattachment of the lip and tongue post release. We work closely with lactation consultants to optimize an infant's feeding success.
Who would benefit from it?
Early identification and treatment can correct incorrect oral postures, facilitate normal dental growth and development, and reduce abnormal habits ultimately helping to maintain better oral health and articulation.
Some signs and symptoms of an orofacial myofunctional disorder (OMD) include:
Open mouth posture with lips apart
Forward resting position of the tongue
Diastema or abnormal spacing between teeth
Misarticulation of speech sounds (namely "s", "z", "sh", "ch", "j")
Improper swallow pattern or "tongue thrust"
"Messy eater"
Drooling
TMJ problems
Why get this treatment?
Correcting an OMD through therapy can help:
Stabilize current dental and orthodontic treatments
Improve articulation and speech intelligibility
Increase awareness of tongue, lip, and jaw posture
Establish normal swallow patters
Maintain a child's optimum oral health for a lifetime of benefits
Benefits of Buteyko Breathing?
Buteyko breathing method improves breath awareness and nasal breathing while limiting over breathing tendencies (often observed in "mouth-breathers".). Nasal breathing helps filter, humidify, and warm the air prior to reaching the lungs. Nasal breathing helps promote proper oral rest postures (lip closure, tongue to palate, teeth slightly parted) which are addressed in Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT).
Additional benefits of Buteyko breathing techniques include improvement in sleep and decreasing anxiety.