What is myofunctional therapy?

Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs) are abnormal movement patterns of the face and mouth.

Children, teenagers, and adults may experience OMDs. OMDS may affect the growth and development of the muscles and bones of the face and mouth. 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.

Signs and Symptoms

Just because a person has some or all of these symptoms does not mean that they have an OMD. Always see a professional for more information.

Some signs of an OMD may include the following:

• Someone who always breathes through the mouth or has difficulty breathing through the nose.

• Limited tongue movement.

• An overbite, underbite, and/or other dental problems.

• The tongue pushing past the teeth, even when a person is not talking or using the tongue.

• Difficulty saying some sounds, like "s" in "sun," "sh" in "ship," or "j" in "jump."

• Drooling, especially beyond age 2.

• Difficulty closing the lips to swallow.

Causes

There is not a known, single cause of OMDs. 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.

• Sucking and chewing habits past the age of 3 years.

What is myofunctional therapy? Do I or my child need to be doing it? 

Myofunctional therapy is an exercise-based therapy. Think of it like physical therapy, only for the muscles of the mouth, tongue and face. The exercises are designed specifically to train proper breathing, speaking, chewing, and swallowing.