Myofunctional Therapy
Therapist
Therapists qualified to treat OMDs have specialized training in Orofacial Myology and may have a background in speech-language pathology or dental hygiene. OM therapists often collaborate with other professionals, including dentists , orthodontists, ENTs, in order to provide patients with the care they need.
Therapy for OMDs consists of re-educatiing the muscles for performing their proper functions. Exercises for the tongue, lips and facial muscles are performed multiple times a day to strenghten musculature, increase tone, promote proper tongue posture and positioning, as wel l as improve breathing function and chewing and swallowing.
Treatment
Myofunctional Therapy is a holistic, non-invasive approach to treating OMDs. The program is fun and progressive for each individual. It creates an awareness of muscles used. Re-patterns muscles to achieve proper oral resting positions. Developes normal neuro-muscular functions, as well as establishes good habits.
Requirements
The program requires the following:
- Assessments
- Weekly therapy with an oral facial myologists.
- A home program; 5-10 minutes daily consisting of exercises for the tongue and lips.
Phases of treatment
- Pretreatment Phase: Eliminate any undesirable habits.
- Intensive Phase: Coordinalting and patterning orofacial muscles to attain proper function and reinforce bad habit elimination through a series of exercises that teach tongue rest position and closed lip seal.
- Generalized Phase: Exercises are tailored to maintain a new pattern of swallowing and teach awareness of oral rest position. Both day and night habits are observed. During this phase we introduce proper chewing and swallowing along with correct head and neck posture.
- Habituation Phase: Follow up, reinforcing the muscle memory patterns.
Goals of Myofunctional Therapy
The four main goals of orofacial myofunctional therapy are:
- Proper nasal breathing
- Proper resting posture of closed sealed lips
- Proper tongue resting posture
- Proper swallowing