Dr. Michael Kun is devoted to enhancing your wellbeing and the wellbeing of your family by promoting a healthy quality of life. Orofacial myofunctional disorder therapy is designed to improve your oral habits and overall oral health, and our dentist will work closely with you to find the right type of treatment for your needs. To learn more about orofacial myofunctional disorder therapy in Mertztown, Pennsylvania, and schedule your consultation with our dentist, contact Brandywine Dental at 610-682-6386.
What Is An Oral Myofunctional Disorder (OMD)?
Orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs) encompass inappropriate behaviors and patterns in muscle function, often involving the tongue, lips, jaw and facial muscles. These disorders disrupt the normal growth, development and functioning of orofacial structures. OMDs can affect individuals of all ages, leading to difficulties in everyday activities like eating, drinking and speaking. Common OMDs include:
- Chronic non-nutritive habits, such as finger and thumb sucking, lip sucking, cheek sucking and sucking habits involving objects like pacifiers, blankets and pencils.
- Poor oral resting posture, which includes sitting with the mouth open and the tongue low and forward.
- Tongue thrusting during speaking and swallowing, where the tongue moves forward or laterally between the teeth.
What Causes OMD?
Various factors contribute to orofacial myofunctional disorders, mainly anything that disrupts the tongue’s ability to maintain a natural oral resting position and forces the teeth to remain unnaturally apart. Factors leading to OMDs may include:
- Restricted nasal airways, including issues like enlarged tonsils and adenoids, allergies, asthma, sinusitis and limited airflow through the nose.
- Oral habits such as prolonged thumb and finger sucking, teeth clenching, cheek and nail biting, among others.
- Structural abnormalities like restricted tongue mobility, macroglossia (an excessively large tongue) and micrognathia (an unusually small jaw).
- Neurological or developmental abnormalities.
Proper Oral Rest Posture
One effective way to manage OMDs and enhance oral function and quality of life is to maintain proper oral rest posture. This involves keeping the lips closed, breathing through the nose, slightly parting the teeth, and resting the tongue on the roof of the mouth.
Treating OMD
Our experienced dentist may recommend various treatment options for orofacial myofunctional disorders, including:
- Oral muscle exercises
- Speech and language therapy
- Breaking negative oral habits like finger sucking and tongue thrusting
- Myofunctional therapy using oral appliances
- Establishing proper breathing and posture
Our dentist will assess your specific OMD to determine the most suitable treatment for your individual needs.
Schedule Your Consultation
Contact us today to schedule your consultation with our Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist and learn more about how orofacial myofunction therapy can benefit you!
