Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs) are conditions that occur when the muscles of the mouth and face do not communicate and function properly. When this occurs, a variety of problems can effect proper growth and development.
These problems include:
To treat Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs), many orthodontists, including Dr. Brian at Lafayette Family Orthodontics, have great success with a type of physical therapy known as myofunctional therapy.
Myofunctional therapy can improve eating, speaking, breathing, and even sleeping while promoting proper alignment of structures which can enhance appearance and bolster self-esteem.
What is Myofunctional Therapy?
Myofunctional therapy is a type of physical therapy that helps to train the muscles and structures of the face, neck and mouth to function properly so that eating, breathing, sleeping, speaking and one’s facial image is optimized.
Training the muscles of the face to work properly through myofunctional therapy encourages muscle memory that will keep the teeth and jaw in alignment as the body continues to grow and develop. It may even reduce the need for future orthodontics or oral surgery.
How do you know if you need Myofunctional Therapy?
In orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMD) the tongue protrudes while an individual is in the midst of swallowing, speaking and even while resting. It may seem harmless to most but these abnormal actions of the tongue will eventually affect speech, growth, social interaction and much more.
Myofunctional therapy is highly effective if started early and customized for each individual based on age and condition. Dr. Brian has years of experience helping patients achieve their smile goals by decreasing, or eliminating, the root cause of these problems. For our other services, click here!
