What is myofunctional therapy?
Orofacial myology:
Orofacial Myology: “The study and treatment of oral and facial muscles as they relate to speech, dentition, chewing/ bolus collection, swallowing, and overall mental and physical health.”
Sandra R. Holtzman, M.S., CCC-SLP, COM, QOM
Myofunctional therapy includes individualized exercises to help the muscles of the mouth/ face function to the BEST of their ability and to correct improper function of the tongue and facial muscles. It addresses the areas of breathing, eating, sleeping, and talking. Therapy is a non-invasive, low-risk way to treat ailments such as: tongue thrust, forward resting tongue posture (between or against teeth), speech sound errors, open mouth posture, oral phase dysphasia, snoring/ sleep apnea, thumb/ finger sucking habits, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and stability of orthodontic treatment. This type of therapy is designed for individuals 4-5 years old and up (it is never too late to help improve function).
Orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs) are patterns involving oral and orofacial musculature that interfere with normal growth, development, or function of orofacial structures, or call attention to themselves (Mason, n.d.A). OMDs can be found in children, adolescents, and adults. OMDs can co-occur with a variety of speech and swallowing disorders. OMD may reflect the interplay of learned behaviors, physical/structural variables, genetic and environmental factors (Maspero, Prevedello, Giannini, Galbiati, & Farronato, 2014).
Breathe Eat Sleep Talk
Breathe Eat Sleep Talk
BREATHE
The way we breathe is fundamental to our whole-body wellness, and the tongue’s resting position plays a critical role in this process. Proper tongue posture can support nasal breathing, reduce the risk of sleep-disordered breathing, and promote better digestion and speech clarity.
EAT
There is an optimal way to chew, eat, and swallow. Some children are labeled as “picky eaters” and refuse to eat certain foods, are slow/ messy eaters, or have known feeding disorders. Adults who experience choking, notice they need to breathe between bites with their mouth, are “slow” or “fast” eaters, or catch themselves having to pay attention to how much they are chewing, have jaw popping/ clicking or pain while eating, or digestive issues, may benefit from myofunctional therapy.
SLEEP
Quality sleep is essential to LIFE. When we breathe through our mouth, snore, toss and turn, wake frequently, and/ or are always tired, this may be indicative of some other underlying health issue.
TALK
The way we communicate separates us from all other mammals. The way we communicate and “talk” plays a big role in social situations, academics, relationships, jobs, and every human interaction. This can include how we say certain sounds, but can also be the way we form thoughts/ ideas and the way we talk. Is there jaw pain when talking? Is it effortful? Any concerns with communication in general?
General Goals of myofunctional therapy
Nasal Breathing
Breathing through the nose has many benefits. By nature, humans are designed to breathe through their noses day and night, from birth. Nasal breathing promotes healthy airway function which filters, warms, and humidifies air for better overall health and sleep quality.
Proper tongue rest posture
FREEZE your tongue right now, where is it resting? Is it touching any teeth? Is it on the bottom or top of your mouth? The correct tongue rest posture is against the maxillary palate, which supports airway health, jaw growth, and stability of orthodontic treatment.
Correct Speech sounds
When the muscles of the face, jaw, lips, and tongue are optimally functioning, speech clarity and accuracy is improved. Up to 80% of children with speech sound errors also have oral motor dysfunction; which can be helped with myofunctional therapy.
Lip sealed
At rest, the lips should be comfortably closed without effort. This should be day and night, lips should open for talking, eating, and drinking. Correct lip seal is part of proper oral rest posture, preventing mouth breathing and helping maintain dental and facial development.
Correct swallow pattern
Did you know we swallow 400-500 times per day?! Proper chewing and swallowing is important for protecting teeth alignment and digestion. Our faces are shaped by our tongues and they way our tongues move.
Swallow patterns
We swallow about 400-500 times per day while awake, about 200-300 more times while eating/ drinking, and during sleep about once per minute or less (about 50-100 swallows). The WAY we swallow matters, our tongue is a strong muscle and can shape the way our face grows and develops. Watch these videos for visuals on swallow patterns.
Breathing is the bridge between our conscious and unconscious, guiding us from stress to calm. When we breathe deeply and intentionally, we activate the body’s rest and digest mode, fostering healing and restoration from within.
What are signs + symptoms of orofacial myofunctional disorders?
Tongue thrust
Mouth breathing (vs. nasal breathing)
Open mouth posture/ Habitual low tongue, lips apart
Tongue and Lip Ties
Facial/ muscle dysfunction
Hypotonic Masseters
Sleep disordered breathing/ Sleep Apnea
Snoring
Drooling or poor lip control (past age 2)
Enlarged tonsils/ adenoids
Eustachian Tube dysfunctions
macroglossia
Atypical swallowing/ dysfunction
Chewing issues or weakness
Open bite
Dental malocclusions
Incorrect tongue position
Clenching/ grinding teeth
TMJ pain/ dysfunction
Temporomandibular joint disorder
Changes in saliva quantity & quality
Tongue scalloping
Abnormal breathing
Tinnitus
Cavities and gum disease
Finger sucking, Nail biting
Thumb sucking
Other non-nutritive sucking habits (tongue sucking)
Craniofacial Dysfunctions
Speech sound errors, up to 80% of children with delays have an OMD
Distorted productions of /s, z/ often with an interdental lisp. Abnormal lingual dental articulatory placement for /t, d, l, n, ʧ, ʤ, ʃ, ʓ/
infant feeding problems
Forward head posture
Watch this insightful video to understand how Myofunctional Therapy can improve tongue posture and nasal breathing, leading to better overall health. At Breathe Eat Sleep Talk, we believe in offering the BEST solutions for your oral wellness. Learn how our holistic approach can help you achieve lasting results through the power of myofunctional therapy.