MyoFunctional Therapy
Infants
Children
Children
Supports better feeding, sleep, and postural symmetry.
Children
Children
Children
Supports better oral motor control and chew patterns, quality sleep, focus, teeth alignmnet, and postural control and coordination.
Adults
Children
Adults
Supports better sleep, reduces neck pain and headaches, improves posture, and breathing patterns.
What is Myofunctional Therapy
Myofunctional therapy is a specific therapy designed to target the muscles of the face and, tongue and neck.
Common reasons to seek therapy are:
- Therapy following a release of tethered tissues (tongue or lip tie)
- Poor Sleep (snoring, open mouth breathing, restless sleep, sleeping with neck extension)
- Neck pain
- TMJ disorders (*Not all TMJ disorders are related to a facial and tongue imbalance; evaluation required to assess if therapy is necessary.)
- Oral rest posture (tongue at bottom of mouth)
- Poor oral motor control
- Jaw Pain
- Shallow or chest breathing
- Orthodontic relapse
- Open mouth breathing during the day
- Decreased thoracic mobility
- Posture instability; slouched posture, anterior pelvic tilt, frequent hyperextension of legs.
- ADHD symptoms, mood disorders
- In infants difficulty latching, leaking milk; difficulty transitioning to solids.
- Painful breast feeding, misshaped nipples.
- Failed orthodontics
- Tension in face, neck or shoulders
- Headaches and/or chronic migraines
- Gulp swallow or pushing food forward without proper bolus formation
- Shallow breathing (chest breathing)
- Allergies and sinus problems
- Teeth grinding
- Snoring
- Rounding shoulders
- Anterior pelvic tilt- slouching turning off postural muscles when sitting or always in a hunched position
- Lisp
- Stuttering
- Seep apnea
- Nasal congestion
- Articulation
- State regulation
- Attentional difficulties
- Constipation
- Bed Wetting
- Picky eating (avoiding certain textures) or needing to drink after biting or use of excessive condiments to assist with swallow.
- Torticollis
*This list is an example of impairments that therapy can improve signs. There are other co-morbidities that will affect these. A full evaluation is necessary to find out if Myo is right for you. *
Benefits of Myofunctional Therapy
Promotes Proper Oral Rest Posture
The muscles in our body are connected from by fascia that connects the tongue to the toes. Our tongue posture will affect our postural alignment, digestive system, sleep, breathing, and development of our jaw and palate.
Promotes Lip Closure
Open mouth posture during the day can lead to an increase in infections, gum disease, and increase in cavities. Our nose is our natural filtration system.
Promotes Nasal Breathing
Nasal breathing promotes the production of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide has several functions in the body:
Decreases blood pressure and improves blood flow to the organs
- Anti-inflammatory for arteries.
- Prevents blood clotting.
- Improves respiration
- Regulates release of 0xygen to hemoglobin
- Enhances Memory and Learning
- Regulates the secretion of digestive enzymes
- Promotes communication to cells for normal body function.
Promotes Diaphragmic Breathing
Do you sigh often through the day? Are you an over breathing needing to take deep breaths often. These are signs you are not breathing correctly. Orofacial myology can promote proper use of facial and tongue muscles to improve breathing.
Improve Sleep
Do you snore? Do you sleep with your mouth open? Stay "asleep" but move all over the bed? Proper oral rest posture, closed mouth posture, proper breathing all lead to a good night sleep.
Better sleep can support being able to attend and focus during the day.
Improves posture
Use of compensatory muscles of the face and the tongue for breathing, food preparation and talking along with oral rest posture can lead to rounded shoulders, anterior pelvic tilt, decreased spinal mobility; most often seen with rotational movements.
Decrease Headaches
Frequent headaches can be caused by body posture, clenching of the teeth, use of compensatory facial muscles and stabilizing movements. Orofacial myology works on strengthening, stretching, coordinating, and sensation to assist with proper alignment and movement patterns.
This list is not exhaustive. Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy may not help all symptoms that you are having. Some show improvement; while others will need a team approach with open airway specialists, craniosacral therapist and chiropractic services. i For an evaluation or Consult, please contact.
What is Restricted oral tissue ?
Tongue and lip ties refer to a physical restriction by tissue in the mouth that either connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth or the tissue in the upper and lower lip causing tension and improper oral rest posture.
Restriction of oral tissues (ties) can lead to your tongue not moving independently causing a list of problems both physically and emotionally, as well as increase in infections, enlarged tonsils, pain, increase in cavities and oral decay and inattention/behavioral difficulties.
*Note there are many factors that contribute to the above. A full evaluation by an open air specialist and a myofunctional therapist is necessary to determine if a tie is a factor in function.*
Your oral resting posture matters!
A release of tissue requires therapy for anywhere from 2-12 months to relieve some symptoms. Other specialist may needed including cranial sacral, speech and language, or additional orthodontics or open air procedures (ENT) are necessary to make gains. Your therapist will work closely with you to assist you in recommendations and collaboration with a team best suited for your needs.
Preferred Providers
Play Well Dental
Elm Grove, WI
262-393-3638
Sunridge Dental
Green Bay, WI
920-468-8085
become a preferred provider
Team approach to release of tethered oral tissue and myofunctional therapy is key to a patients success. At Boudry Therapy and Rehab, we are able to provide postural work, breathing exercises, and the myofunctional therapy that your clients need. Please contact info@boudytherapyandrehab.com to be listed as a preferred provider.
Boudry Therapy and Rehab provides myofunctional therapy, body work and postural interventions, and interventions for proper breathing and breath support.