Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) focuses on muscles of the face and mouth and teaches clients how to breathe, posture, swallow, and speak correctly. The main focus of OMT is creating a healthy balance between orofacial structure and function. When these functions are impaired, an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder (OMD) exists.
The goal of OMT is to help ensure proper oral rest posture which means you have your tongue resting on the roof of your mouth with teeth slightly open and lips sealed while utilizing nasal breathing. We should be using proper oral rest posture at all times unless eating, drinking or talking.
WHAT IS AN OROFACIAL MYOFUNCTIONAL DISORDER (OMD)?
Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders are atypical, adaptive patterns that emerge in the absence of normalized patterns within the orofacial complex. The regular presence of these adaptive movements can often result in a variety of disturbances. This commonly manifests as tongue thrust, open mouth posture, a lisp or other speech sound disorder, mouth-breathing, bruxism, clenching, low tongue rest posture and other maladaptive orofacial patterns. OMDs are complex in nature and often involve many areas. Carolina Speech Works is focused on determining the root cause of why dysfunction is occurring and then addressing those specific needs. For optimal treatment outcomes, collaboration with an interdisciplinary team of specialists is often required. This team may include an orthodontist, an airway focused dentist, an ENT, a Body worker, and an Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist. OMDs affect all ages and can have a different impact on an individual’s quality of life based on the severity of the disorder and time left untreated.
A few examples of issues related to untreated OMDs include:
WHAT HAPPENS DURING AN OROFACIAL MYOFUNCTIONAL EVALUATION?
Please complete all patient intake information online prior to arriving for the evaluation through the portal link emailed to you. Evaluations typically last 1-1.5 hours and will provide an in-depth functional assessment of breathing, oral rest posture, chewing and swallowing patterns, and speech. This evaluation typically includes a review of health history and symptoms, photo documentation, measurements, orofacial movement tasks, and observations. Our therapists will take the information from health history/symptoms and help connect the dots with the results of the evaluation. Referrals and recommendations will then be made as appropriate.