ADULTS

 Do you have trouble with:

•  Sleep?

•  Neck & Shoulder Pain?

•  Headaches?

• Digestive Issues?

•  TMJ Pain?

• Mouthbreathing?

Signs of an oral myofunctional disorder (OMD):

Headaches Overuse of the neck and facial muscles can lead to tension headaches

Neck pain Often the head may be tilted or projected forward and the weight creates strain for the neck

TMJ Bite issues are common and can effect the joint arthritically and muscularly

Sleep problems Problems like snoring, light sleep, obstructive sleep apnea, upper airway resistance syndrome, sweating, restless leg syndrome, frequent wakening, fatigue, etc can arise due to the tongue occluding the airway or the weak muscles of the soft palate collapsing when asleep

Clenching/Grinding Can be your body’s way of opening your airway when asleep either through contraction of the soft palatal muscles or by shifting of the jaw

Acid Reflux Inadequate chewing & swallowing of air from dysfunctional patterns or linked to sleep disorders due to the diaphragm spasming against the stomach

Mouthbreathing Oral breathing is linked to poor lip competence (parted lips) and airway obstruction

Crowded teeth Without a proper oral rest posture of the tongue in the roof of the mouth, the mouth does not have room for the teeth to fit

History of having teeth extracted for orthodontic treatment Inadequate growth of dental arches leads to extreme crowding, that loss of space when teeth are removed and the face is retracted creates less room for the tongue, a smaller airway, and often a forward rest posture of the tongue occurs

Teeth that have moved even after orthodontic treatment “orthodontic relapse” The way your tongue rests against the teeth provides gentle constant force overtime that can shift the teeth

Forward Head Posture/Rounded Shoulders This posture is a rescue position to open the airway

Open mouth rest posture Parted lips may be associated with oral breathing, lip ties, and OMDs

Self Screen-What does your mouth look like?

Tongue

Are the edges scalloped instead of smooth?

Is there an indention down the center?

Does the tip have a bifed appearance when you stick it out?

Can you see a tight string of tissue (the frenum) underneath?

Teeth

Do you have wear?

Are your teeth crowded?

Do you have recessed gums?

Throat

Are your tonsils big? Did you have to have your tonsils removed?

Can you see your uvula?

Jaws

Are your arches narrow? V-shaped?

Is your palate (roof of the mouth) vaulted?

 How does myofunctional therapy help?

 Myofunctional therapy aims to retrain the orofacial muscles to promote nasal breathing, proper oral rest posture, and functional chewing & swallowing.   

Training the tongue to rest in the right position can help with better overall posture leading to less musculoskeletal pain and headaches, a more open airway which can help with sleep, and functional chewing & swallowing for better digestion.

Transitioning from mouth breathing to breathing through the nose can increase energy, help with blood pressure, better focus, and less frequent colds.