WHAT IS AN OROFACIAL MYOFUNCTIONAL DISORDER?

People may be born with conditions they have little or no control over which prevent them from attaining proper oral rest posture.  An example of a congenital condition which can prevent proper tongue placement, lip seal, and nasal breathing is “Ankyloglossia,” or “Tongue Tie.”  For those who have lived with a shortened or thickened tissue membrane, called a frenum, throughout their lives, (i.e. tongue-tie), myofunctional therapy becomes more than an awareness of learning proper oral rest posture.  These individuals have learned to compensate by incorporating other muscles of the orofacial region (i.e. cheek, lip, and neck areas) in an attempt to perform the basic functions of breathing, chewing, and swallowing.  This learned behavior leads to dysfunction and various disorders, known as compensatory behaviors.

Prior to undergoing a frenectomy, the patient must prepare the muscle in order to assist in the healing process. Once the frenectomy has occurred, the patient will continue to complete stretches and exercises focusing on motor function and range of motion in order to prevent re-attachment of the tongue and keep the new range of motion given by the tongue tie release.

TONGUE THRUST SWALLOW

The tongue is another organ that is more critical to breathing than many people realize.  This small organ manipulates food placement as one chews solids, implements the swallowing of solids and liquids, and, through various movements, and facilitates articulation.  In addition, through continuous pressure exerted by placement on the roof of the mouth, the tongue stimulates proper upper jaw growth, much like how a retainer can alter the position of teeth and oral structures, the tongue plays a major role in the development of the human airway and orofacial complex.  Proper tongue placement, which begins in infancy, is responsible for the formation of a wide, u-shaped upper jaw.  The upper jaw, or mandible, is extremely prominent in facial development and the wider the mandible and palatal arch, the more patent the airway.  It is through the formation of a voluminous airway than an individual develops an efficient ability to perform nasal breathing. Myofunctional Therapy can assist in the correction of swallowing and allow for normal functioning of the tongue to occur. 

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TMD is a condition that affects the muscles and nerves of the temporomandibular joint. This joint is located on each side of the jaw and it connects the jaw to the skull. TMD occurs when the muscles and nerves of the TMJ joint become injured or inflamed.

TMJ disorder is extremely common (an estimated 12 percent of American’s suffer from the condition), and women are affected more than men. Determining the cause of TMJ can be challenging. There are several factors that can contribute to this disorder, including arthritis, genetics, habitual teeth grinding (bruxism), stress, diseases of the connective tissues, and injuries to the jaw. Whatever the cause, TMD can be painful and in extreme cases, it can limit the ability to effectively operate the jaw. Improper oral muscle function may additionally lead to TMJ dysfunction. Improper oral muscle function may additionally lead to TMJ dysfunction, headaches, popping, clicking and locking of this joint, posture problems and other health challenges. By re-training Orofacial muscles through Myofunctional Therapy, patients can experience a reduction in pain, tension and instability.

Muscle weakness or limited range of motion within the tongue, mouth, and upper throat may lead to snoring , disordered breathing or obstructive sleep apnea. Symptoms can include but are not limited to: ADD/ADHD, lower IQ, chronic allergies, aggressive behavior, mouth breathing, swollen tonsils and adenoids, daytime drowsiness, restless sleep, crooked teeth, bedwetting, nightmares, dark circles under the eyes, snoring, irritibility, night-time sweating and frequent headaches. 

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Breathing is one of the most important functions our body performs, and most of the time the act of breathing is mostly subconscious.  One of the key priorities or a myofunctional therapist is ensuring that a patient has nasal patency.  One can go without food for months, without water for weeks, but lack of oxygen precipitates death in a few minutes.  So what does proper oral resting posture have to do with nasal breathing? When the tongue and lips are in an incorrect rest posture, one’s ability to breathe is impaired.   A myofunctional therapist, should educate their patients that a patent airway is achieved through nasal breathing only when the tongue is properly placed on the roof of the mouth.

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