You’re Always Welcome at Harmony Myofunctional Therapy
Each patient is different and with Harmony Myofunctional therapy we don't use cookie-cutter treatment plans. We strive to give each patient the best-individualized treatment. We work in a multi-disciplinary approach because sometimes we need multiple professions to provide the best care.
What can cause an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder?
There are many things that can interfere with normal muscle function. Some things that can direct the muscles into abnormal patterning can include:
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Long term pacifier use
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Long term thumb/finger sucking habits
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Nail biting
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Lip licking
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Bottle feeding
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Restricted airway due to enlarged tonsils, adenoids, deviated septum or chronic allergies
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Hereditary factors
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Short lingual frenum (Tongue-Tie)
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Large tongue (Macroglossia)
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Routine habit of resting with lips apart
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Neurologic of developmental abnormalities
Tongue-Tie
Tongue-tie is a complex issue that can affect many people unknowingly. Some tongue-ties aren't as obvious as this particular patient however the impact can be very different from person to person.
Tongue-tie can affect how the tongue is able to do its functions. The tongue has to do many complex functions such as elevating, retracting protruding and lateralizing. What if a small piece of tissue was holding the tongue down like a rope? A patient may experience difficulty with eating, chewing, poor posture, swallowing, speech and stomach upset (abnormal swallow pattern may contribute to increased ingestion of air).
Where does your tongue sit in your mouth? This may be a weird question but there are typically 3 answers: On the roof of the mouth, in the middle or on the floor of the mouth. The correct tongue resting position is for the tongue to fully rest on the roof of the mouth.
Why is tongue position important?
Tongue position is important because the tongue is a huge facilitator for orofacial growth and development. when the tongue rests on the roof of the mouth it helps to stimulate the bone of the maxilla to grow in a more ideal way. When the tongue is not on the roof of the mouth we can start to see a collapse of the dental arch and can notice things such as crowding of the teeth and a non-ideal bite. This can start to affect appearance, create a high vault in the palate (this can affect nasal airway volume), contribute to orthodontic relapse, posture problems and relate to airway issues.
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When you see a Certified Orofacial Myologist we do a functional assessment to see if there is a dysfunction of the orofacial muscles. If there is a tongue-tie present we look to see if it is contributing to abnormal use of the muscles. If a patient needs a tongue-tie release we work with our patients before and after to optimize the surgical outcomes.
Why be concerned about an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder?
Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMD) can play a large roll in craniofacial development and can have long-term effects.
OMD’s can also relate to:
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*Physical appearance
*The shape of the mouth
*Orthodontic relapse
*Feeding difficulties
*Jaw joint pain
*Dental bite and alignment
*Head and neck posture problems
*Poor sleep patterns
*Poor airway development
*Speech patterns
