What are orofacial Myofunctional disorders?
What are orofacial Myofunctional disorders?
Orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs) are patterns involving oral and orofacial musculature that interfere with normal growth, development, or function of orofacial structures, or call attention to themselves (Mason, n.d.A). OMDs can be found in children, adolescents, and adults.
What causes Myofunctional disorder?
OMDs may be caused by several factors: Blocked nasal passages because of tonsil size or allergies. When the nasal passages are blocked, people may need to breathe through their mouth instead. Anything that causes the tongue to be misplaced at rest or makes it difficult to keep the lips together at rest.
What does an orofacial Myologist do?
Orofacial myology is a specialized discipline that focuses on the evaluation and treatment of oral and facial (orofacial) muscles. Myofunctional therapy is dedicated to treating problems of the face, jaw, and mouth by retraining the muscles to function as they should.
What is a Myofunctional assessment?
A Myofunctional Evaluation includes observation of a patient’s breathing, eating, drinking, speech, facial symmetry and posture. The therapist takes several specific measurements to learn the baseline strength of the patient’s tongue, lips, and masseters.
How is orofacial myology disorders diagnosed?
Evaluation Process. A speech-language pathologist assesses the structures and the way the lip, cheeks, teeth, jaws and tongue move. This is done by watching the child speak and also watching how he or she swallows foods and liquids. Pictures are taken to record the child’s dental structures.
What is OMT speech therapy?
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) is the “neuromuscular re-education” or “re-patterning” of the oral and facial muscles. OMT includes behavior modification, mouth, face and tongue exercises and strategies to facilitate proper feeding, swallowing and oral rest tongue posture throughout the day.
How does orofacial Myofunctional disorder affect speech?
This condition can result in poor and limited tongue range of motion and a lack of the coordination needed for proper speech production, chewing, and swallowing. Tongue-tie can also contribute to a lateral lisp.
Who performs orofacial Myofunctional therapy?
Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders may impact treatments by orthodontists, dentists, dental hygienists, speech-language pathologists, and other professionals working in the orofacial area. “Correct swallowing depends on a proper relationship between muscles of the face, mouth and throat.”
How do you become an orofacial myofunctional therapist?
To qualify as an orofacial myologist, you must already have an undergraduate qualification in a dental, medical profession or speech pathology. Then you can go on to postgraduate study in the field.
Why is orofacial Myofunctional therapy important?
Oral Myofunctional Therapy is not just about a pretty face. True, it can help straighten your teeth and provide cosmetic benefits, but more important is the impact it can have on facial paralysis, TMD, facial burns and trauma, and tongue tie.
What is Myofunctional therapy dental hygienist?
What OMTs do is teach patients how to chew, swallow, and breathe correctly. We work on habits, such as thumb sucking, that lead to poor muscle patterns, which can affect total body health. So many exciting fields are related to dentistry where hygienists can build on the knowledge they have already acquired.
What are the symptoms of orofacial myofunctional disorders?
About Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders. OMDs may also interfere with how the muscles of the face and mouth are used for eating, talking, and breathing. People who have an OMD may also have problems with talking, swallowing, and breathing through their nose. Some children push out their tongue when they talk, drink, or eat.
How can SLPs help my child with orofacial myofunctional disorders?
Speech-Language Pathology Treatment for Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders After breathing problems are medically evaluated and treated, SLPs can help your child do the following: Pay closer attention to their mouth and facial movements. Know where their tongue and mouth muscles are when they speak, drink, and eat.
What are the symptoms of oral mucosa disease (OMD)?
People who have an OMD may also have problems with talking, swallowing, and breathing through their nose. Some children push out their tongue when they talk, drink, or eat.
Can myofunctional therapy help with mouth breathing?
Mouth breathing or constantly open lips is a cause and/or signal of tongue thrust and low tongue rest posture. Recent research has shown that myofunctional therapy may reduce the symptoms of sleep disordered breathing (such as snoring), and ameliorate mild to moderate OSA (obstructive sleep apnea).