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What is Myofunctional Therapy?
Myofunctional therapy seeks to correct any functional issues involving the tounge breathing and the lips by teaching repetitive exercises. The neuromuscular therapy technique employs facial and tongue exercises alongside behavior modification methods to promote proper function. Myofunctional therapy also seeks to create an optimum resting posture for patients. The ideal oral resting posture is teeth together and lips together with the tongue resting against the top of the mouth. This posture should not only be comfortable, but encourage continuing orofacial harmony.
In children, myofunctional therapy helps to create lasting healthy habits and put them on the right trajectory for facial growth. Adults can benefit from TMD relief, head and neck pain relief, and the alleviation of many other issues, as myofunctional therapy often targets the root of the issue.
Treatment for OMDs has been shown to be up to 80-90% effective in correcting swallowing and rest posture positions. Significant improvement is usually seen when the exercises are completed daily.
You can expect myofunctional therapy to eliminate mouth breathing, thumb sucking and other habits detrimental to facial function, bad oral posture and irregular swallowing patterns.
Myofunctional Therapy Exercises
Myofunctional therapy involves a targeted program of exercises to aid in restoring strength and coordination in the muscles of the face and tongue. These are painless and relatively simple, so they can easily be continued at home. A course of myofunctional therapy typically lasts for a minimum of 6 months, so both practitioner and patient have more chance to see positive results.
Myofunctional therapist
Sherry Posner
At Elite Dental we have a full time Myofunctional Therapist and Orofacial Myologist, Sherry Posner. As a myofunctional therapist, Sherry helps to treat people who have Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs).
The goal as an Myofunctional Therapist is to provide and work alongside your dentist or orthodontist for a specialised treatment plan for you to achieve the best oral function and balance.
For any questions regarding how Sherry, Elite Dentals Myofunctional Therapist, can help you please don’t hesitate to contact us by clicking here!
Myofunctional Therapy Staten Island
Book a consultation today with the friendly team at Elite Dental of Staten Island if you think Myofunctional therapy could be the treatment for you.
FAQs
Myofunctional therapy, which involves education and training in proper function of lips, tongue and facial muscles. . Myofunctional therapy may be used to treat a number of orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs), which affect the muscles and functions of the face and mouth and prevent proper development of ace and jaws. OMDs can affect one’s ability to eat, breathe and speak properly. This is best addressed early in development, but can be addressed in childhood and as adults.
Orofacial myofunctional disorders are often caused as the result of prolonged oral habits like thumb sucking, mouth breathing, nail biting, teeth grinding, and incorrect lip posture. Some other causes and symptoms include a restricted airway, sleep disorders, tongue tie, developmental abnormalities, and jaw pain.
During myofunctional therapy, the oral and facial muscles are retrained through targeted exercises. The therapy also seeks to create the ideal resting posture for patients, which occurs when the teeth and lips rest together, with the tongue positioned against the roof of the mouth, proper swallow and chewing, and nasal breathing. The idea behind myofunctional therapy is to create lasting healthy oral habits in children, proper function, and proper facial growth. In adults, the therapy can be used to help relieve jaw, head, and neck pain.