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What is an orofacial myofunctional disorder (OMD)?
Orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs) can affect anyone at any age. Clients with these disorders often have differences in the muscles/structures of the face and mouth which can impact function and result in challenges related to speech, swallowing, and sleep disorders. An OMD treatment program (Myofunctional Therapy) can aid in treating these and other related disorders, which can result in an improvement of the client’s quality of life.
What are the signs of a myofunctional disorder?
Myofunctional disorders can affect clients of all ages, with signs and symptoms that include:
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tongue ties and lip ties
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tongue thrust
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open-bite or front teeth that stick out
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mouth breathing
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sleep disorders including sleep apnea
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speech difficulties
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thumb sucking and other sucking habits
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teeth grinding and jaw tension
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TMJ, jaw, neck, head, and/or shoulder pain
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feeding/swallowing difficulties
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messy eating & eating with mouth open
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limited tongue movement/range of motion
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weak mouth & face muscles
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drooling
How Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy Can Help You or Your Child
We have trained speech therapists who provide orofacial myofunctional therapy to adults and children focused on:
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correcting swallow patterns to address tongue thrust
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increasing range of motion and strength for tongue and lip ties pre- and post-release
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addressing open-mouth breathing habits
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correcting lip and tongue postures at rest
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treating stubborn articulation disorders such as lisps, /r/, and /l/
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preventing orthodontic relapse
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reducing the risk of re-attachment of the tongue or lip after a frenectomy
Therapy can improve coordination, function, and awareness of the oral/facial structures. With a dedication to therapy and home exercises, our clients see a great improvement in or the resolution of their OMD.
Getting Started with an Orofacial Myofunctional Evaluation
Evaluations help us to get to the root cause of the speech, sleep, eating, or breathing issues you or your child are experiencing. By discovering what is causing your problems, we can provide therapy that will create long-lasting changes.
A myofunctional evaluation typically includes:
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an intensive review of the client’s history - developmental, medical, and feeding/swallowing
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an articulation assessment (if there are concerns related to speech)
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a detailed examination of body posture, all oral structures and their functions, and the swallow with accompanying photographs
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an informal analysis of attention, memory, voice, fluency, and behavior
Following the evaluation, a plan to begin treatment will be developed, which may include recommended visits to other specialized professionals (e.g. orthodontists, ENTs, dentists, chiropractors, etc.).
Tongue Ties for Children, Teens, & Adults
Tongue ties can lead to feeding, speech, sleep, and breathing problems. We work with toddlers through adults before and after their frenectomy to:
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reduce risk of reattachment
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retrain tongue movement for speech and swallowing patterns
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teach correct tongue resting posture for better sleep and breathing
Contact us to learn more about how a posterior or anterior tongue tie may be contributing to speech, breathing, or eating issues.
A Myo Approach to Speech Therapy
A myofunctional approach is often the answer for kids who have been in therapy for a long time and are still having trouble producing sounds, or for an older child or adult that has given up on articulation therapy.
Myofunctional therapy is about finding the cause of why the sound isn't being produced and addressing it.
We will provide exercises tailored to your specific speech errors to retrain the muscles of the mouth and face muscles for speech production.