Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders are the dysfunction of the muscles of the face and mouth. Characterizations include atypical patterns that interfere with normal growth, development and function of the facial and mouth muscles used to speak, chew, and swallow.
Myofunctional therapy is a specialized exercise training program designed exclusively for the muscles around the face, mouth and tongue. If left untreated, dysfunction may directly or indirectly affect breastfeeding, chewing, swallowing, speech, facial growth and more. You can learn more about Orofacial Myofunctional conditions on the National Library of Medicine website.
Learn more about Myofunctional Therapy in this article on healthline.com.
Signs and Symptoms
Common symptoms of Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders are not limited to, but can include: Mouth breathing, open mouth posture, oral gummy smile, dental malocclusion, snoring/sleep apnea, restless sleep, teeth grinding, tongue thrusting, orthodontic relapse, temporomandibular joint disorders, and oral habits-thumb/finger sucking, nail biting, extended pacifier usage, and hair chewing.
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy
Myofunctional therapy is similar to physical therapy for the mouth and face. Your myofunctional therapist will complete an in-depth initial assessment. Based on your evaluation, you will receive an age-appropriate custom treatment plan tailored to your compensations to retrain your muscles and improve your function. Your treatment will consist of multiple short appointments over the span of several months to properly retrain your muscles and improve your condition. Our team cares about your optimal health. Contact Govani Dental at 920-231-1955 to schedule an examination with our Myo Mentor professionally trained myofunctional therapist.
