Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy
Oral structures, including the lips, tongue, jaw, cheeks, and palate, and their related posture and function are addressed in Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT). Proper function of the orofacial structures is critical to the patient's overall health and their ability to breathe, chew, and swallow.
OMT is a form of neuromuscular reeducation that teaches patients how to properly move their oral and facial muscles to improve their breathing, sleeping, chewing, and swallowing patterns, maintain an ideal tongue position, and promote better voice and posture development. The orofacial growth and development is critical because this complex system is believed to be connected with good form and function of the overall individual. Poor oral posture and function can potentially result in dental malocclusions, imbalances in the cranial bones, and negative effects on the body’s overall posture and health.
Your child may benefit from OMT if they have one or more of the following symptoms:
- Poor facial development
- Crooked or crowded teeth
- Speech issues
- Problems while eating or feeding
- Breathing issues (open mouth breathing)
- Sleep problems (poor sleep quality or sleep apnea)
Pacifiers &
Thumb Sucking
Prolonged pacific use or thumb sucking can contribute to an orofacial myofunctional disorder. Ensuring your child ceases these habits between the ages of 2 and 4 can help prevent these disorders. OMT treats the root cause of your child’s issues to achieve long-term stability and function.
Our Goals
When your child comes to Function First for oral Myofunctional Therapy, we have a few overarching treatment goals:
- Educate the child and/or parent on the importance of proper tongue position/ oral rest posture.
- Teach the child how to establish a lip seal
- Show the child and/or parent the importance of continuous nasal breathing
- Guide the child through Myofunctional Therapy exercises
- Help strengthen and/or retrain the child’s tongue and orofacial muscles to perform actions properly
If you think your child could benefit from Oral Myofunctional Therapy, schedule an appointment at Function First. We will help teach them valuable skills that last a lifetime.
