Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy
Achieve greater health through simple and holistic methods
What is orofacial myology?
Orofacial myology is a specialty that focuses on neuromuscular retraining of oral and facial muscles in relation to dental, jaw, speech, sleep and breathing function. An Orofacial Myologist is trained to evaluate for orofacial myofunctional disorders, then seeks to correct them with a customized exercise and stretch based therapy program. Simply put, it's physical therapy focused on your face and mouth with the desired goals of breathing through your nose, with your lips sealed together, your tongue resting against the roof of your mouth, and swallowing correctly.
Multidisciplinary Approach
An Orofacial Myologist often works collaboratively with allied professionals such as Dentists, Orthodontists, ENT’s, Chiropractors, Osteopaths, Massage Therapists and Speech Therapists to ensure that your needs are addressed and handled comprehensively.
Why haven’t I heard of orofacial myology?
While orofacial myology has been around for over 40 years, it has only recently become part of mainstream healthcare. As our awareness of the mouth-body-mind connection continues to grow, orofacial myology is quickly becoming acknowledged as a necessary component to achieving a healthier and happier state of being.
Symptoms of orofacial myofunctional disorders
An orofacial myofunctional disorder (OMD) is any habit or condition that interferes with the proper development and function of the oral and facial muscles. These disorders lead to compensations and improper development of the face, teeth and jaw effecting appearance, speech, chewing, swallowing, breathing and sleep.
What causes orofacial myofunctional disorders?
OMDs can occur during fetal development; This is called a tongue-tie. In this instance, the tongue can’t reach its designated position, resting fully on the roof of the mouth. A tongue-tie will interfere with breastfeeding. OMDs can develop later from habits such as extended pacifier use, thumb-sucking, or nail biting. They can also develop as the result of inflammation from seasonal or other allergies. All circumstances lead to two typical outcomes: low tongue posture and breathing through the mouth.
If you exhibit one or more of these symptoms, you may have an orofacial myofunctional disorder:
Anxiety
Misaligned teeth
Tongue thrusting
Teeth-grinding
Facial pain
Migraines
Speech problems
Mouth breathing
Sleep apnea
Stomach aches
70% of orthodontic treatment fails due to OMDs
What an appointment is like
Since every person is unique and symptoms of OMDs can present themselves in so many ways, everyone starts with an initial discovery consultation. Based on your symptoms and goals, an official treatment plan will be designed. Technology makes it convenient to meet through virtual meetings from start to finish.
The therapy itself is quite simple and only requires five minutes, twice a day. Therapy will generally take 8-10 months with appointments scheduled every two weeks. The success of therapy depends entirely on patient/parent commitment as developing new neuropathways takes time and consistent practice.
This is a list of things I will look at during an orofacial myofunctional exam:
Speech and articulation
Jaw pain and dysfunction
Head, neck and facial pain
Snoring and sleep apnea
Facial structure
Habits such as thumb and finger sucking
Muscle compensation
Tonsils and adenoids
Mouth breathing vs. nasal breathing
Where the tongue rests in the mouth
Tongue-tie
Orthodontic treatment
Dental history
Meet Erika!
Registered Dental Hygienist / Certified Orofacial Myologist
Hello and welcome! I have really enjoyed providing compassionate, gentle, and comprehensive care as a dental hygienist for the past 20 years. More recently I discovered the specialty of Orofacial Myology, and I can honestly say my personal and professional life will never be the same!
About me personally: I am a wife, mother of two children and two dogs, lover of God, and seeker of truth. My family has battled diabetes insipidus, histoplasmosis and Lyme’s disease. We survived and thrived to say the least, and through the battle I have come to believe two things: our mind needs to be our ally and the methods we choose for healing should not bring us harm. I am no longer content with treating symptoms; I want to get to the root!
This shift in mindset and living led me to seek simple, holistic answers to the common and persistent problems that I saw in the dental chair. Periodontal disease, tarter build-up, dental decay, bad breath, crooked teeth, clenching, grinding, and TMJ pain are all problems that can be helped with orofacial myology, but there is so much more! I would love to help you connect the dots and find physiological peace. You can breathe better, sleep better, and live better!
Have any questions or want to schedule an appointment?
Located in Colorado Springs, CO