What is an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder?
Orofacial myofunctional disorders affect the functions and muscles of the mouth and face. OMDs can occur in both children and adults if the adults have yet to receive treatment. Recognizing the symptoms can help children get treatment early on to prevent future problems from occurring.
OMD’s in children may cause breastfeeding issues. In adults and children, OMDs may also directly or indirectly affect speech, chewing, breastfeeding, breathing (airway), swallowing, facial development and growth, occlusion, facial esthetics, orthodontic treatment stability, oral hygiene, temporomandibular joint movement and more.
OMDs usually stem from incorrect tongue posture, swallowing habits or from mouth breathing. When these incorrect habits continue over time, they can lead to serious consequences. To treat an OMD and prevent future symptoms from developing, we recommend myofunctional therapy as treatment.
Myofunctional Therapy and Its Connection to Dentistry
- Oral Health Improvement: Dentists play a vital role in the treatment of OMDs through myofunctional therapy, which focuses on correcting improper oral and facial muscle patterns. This therapy not only helps prevent issues like tooth decay and gum disease but also addresses incorrect swallowing habits such as tongue thrust, where the tongue presses against or between the teeth. If these habits are not addressed early, they can lead to significant dental problems.
- Jaw Alignment: By promoting proper muscle function, myofunctional therapy aids in achieving optimal jaw alignment, a key focus of dental treatment. OMDs can contribute to malocclusion, where the alignment between the upper and lower teeth is compromised, resulting in difficulties with chewing, biting, swallowing, and even digesting food. Dentists are well-equipped to retrain oral muscles, supporting better jaw positioning and alignment.
- Collaborative Orthodontics: Many dentists and orthodontists incorporate myofunctional therapy into their treatment plans, especially for patients exhibiting signs of OMDs. Incorrect tongue posture can push teeth out of place, necessitating orthodontic intervention to correct bite issues and tooth movement caused by the disorder. By addressing muscle function first, dentists enhance the effectiveness of orthodontic treatments, providing a comprehensive approach to dental health.
- Sleep Apnea Treatment: Dentists can also play a crucial role in managing sleep apnea through myofunctional therapy. This therapy improves oral and throat muscle tone, which can reduce airway obstruction during sleep. Since OMDs may exacerbate sleep-related breathing issues, dentists are positioned to offer valuable adjunct treatments that contribute to overall patient wellness.
- Prevention of Malocclusion: Dentists focus on the prevention of malocclusion by addressing bad oral habits early, such as thumb sucking, mouth breathing, and improper tongue posture. Myofunctional therapy is instrumental in preventing these issues from developing into more serious problems. Early treatment of OMDs is crucial, as untreated disorders can lead to constant pressure on the teeth from an improperly positioned tongue, resulting in abnormal bite patterns and compromised dental health.
- Holistic Patient Care: A dentist’s training and expertise allow for a comprehensive understanding of the interconnectedness of oral health, facial aesthetics, and functional issues. They are equipped to provide holistic care that addresses not only the symptoms of OMDs but also their underlying causes, ensuring a solid dental foundation for overall health.
Myofunctional Therapy and Its Connection to Cosmetic Dentistry
- Facial Aesthetics: Myofunctional therapy addresses incorrect oral posture associated with OMDs, which can significantly affect facial appearance. Individuals with OMDs may exhibit a sluggish or dull appearance, along with full lips, due to improper muscle function. This can lead to facial grimaces, where the muscles in the lips, chin, and cheeks tighten during activities like swallowing. By promoting correct muscle tone and alignment, myofunctional therapy can enhance facial symmetry and contribute to a more attractive smile.
- Alignment and Smile Design: Proper muscle function is essential for dental alignment and positioning. OMDs, particularly tongue thrusting and mouth breathing, can disrupt the natural alignment of teeth, leading to malocclusion. Myofunctional therapy helps correct these habits, resulting in improved alignment crucial for effective smile design in cosmetic dentistry.
- Support for Cosmetic Procedures: For patients undergoing cosmetic treatments such as veneers, crowns, or orthodontics, myofunctional therapy serves as a preparatory step. Correcting muscle function and posture before cosmetic procedures can enhance the results and prevent future dental complications. Moreover, addressing mouth breathing associated with OMDs can help maintain lip posture and overall facial aesthetics.
- Enhancing Orthodontic Results: Cosmetic dentists often collaborate with orthodontists to achieve desired outcomes. Myofunctional therapy optimizes tongue and facial muscle function during orthodontic treatment, leading to better alignment and an aesthetically pleasing smile. By mitigating issues like facial grimaces and the overuse of facial muscles, patients can achieve a more balanced and harmonious appearance.
- Preventing Relapse: After cosmetic treatments, proper muscle function is crucial for maintaining results. Myofunctional therapy reinforces correct oral habits, helping prevent relapse and ensuring the longevity of cosmetic improvements. Addressing any persistent issues related to OMDs can support the overall aesthetic goals of cosmetic dentistry.
- Holistic Approach to Dental Aesthetics: Myofunctional therapy promotes overall oral health, integral to achieving beautiful smiles. By addressing functional issues, cosmetic dentists can provide a holistic approach to dental aesthetics, ensuring that patients not only have an attractive appearance but also optimal function.
Speech Problems Related to OMD
Myofunctional therapy is closely connected to speech problems, as it focuses on the proper function of the oral and facial muscles, which are essential for clear and effective communication. Here’s how these connections unfold:
- Oral Foundation for Speech: The journey to overall optimum health begins through the pathway of the mouth. A solid dental foundation, characterized by healthy jawbone and gums, is critical for proper speech development. Myofunctional therapy helps align the tongue, lips, and jaw, facilitating the correct articulation of sounds necessary for speech.
- Role of Oral and Facial Muscles: Many speech problems stem from orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs), which involve improper muscle function and posture. These disorders can lead to issues such as tongue thrusting or lip sealing problems, affecting a child’s ability to articulate sounds clearly. Myofunctional therapy retrains these muscles to support normal speech patterns.
- Collaboration with Speech Pathologists: Speech pathologists often work in conjunction with myofunctional therapists to address speech issues. By collaborating, they can create a comprehensive treatment plan that targets both the functional aspects of speech and the underlying muscle coordination necessary for effective communication.
- Impact on Sound Production: Myofunctional therapy can help address specific speech problems by correcting tongue posture and improving airflow during speech. For example, improper tongue placement can result in difficulty pronouncing certain sounds. By ensuring that the tongue rests in the proper position, myofunctional therapy supports better sound production.
- Prevention of Future Issues: Addressing OMDs through myofunctional therapy can prevent future speech problems by establishing a strong foundation for oral and facial muscle function. Healthy jawbone and gums contribute to overall dental and speech health, reducing the risk of speech-related issues as children develop.
Myofunctional therapy plays a vital role in addressing speech problems by ensuring proper oral function and collaborating with speech pathologists to support clear communication. By focusing on the pathway of the mouth, this therapy helps establish a solid dental foundation that is crucial for both speech and overall health.
Myofunctional Therapy Treatment in Wichita Falls
If our dentists determine you or your child has an OMD, we will recommend myofunctional therapy as soon as possible. Myofunctional therapy includes a series of painless tongue exercises that will retrain the muscles of the tongue, mouth and face correct habits to achieve the correct resting oral posture. This includes the lips, tongue, and jaw. Once we achieve a correct resting posture, problems related to OMD will begin to resolve themselves. Some patients may need additional treatments such as orthodontics to complete their treatment.
If you believe you or your child has an orofacial myofunctional disorder, please schedule an appointment at our Wichita Falls dental office as soon as possible. The earlier we can intervene and treat an OMD, the less damage, and problems that will occur.
Give our office a call at 940-322-2252 to book an appointment today.
