Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy involves neurologic re-education and re-patterning of the muscles of the face, lips, tongue, and jaw using specific therapeutic techniques over time. The goal is to support proper function, rest posture, and coordination to contribute positively to facial growth and development, breathing, speech, oral health, and more.

Therapy May Focus On:

Encouraging correct oral rest posture of the tongue, lips, and jaw

Promoting nasal breathing and supporting airway health

Addressing patterns such as tongue thrust or mouth breathing

Supporting the transition away from prolonged oral habits (e.g., thumb or pacifier use)

Providing therapy before and after procedures such as frenectomy to promote optimal function

OMT is often provided in collaboration with other professionals, such as orthodontists, ENTs, pediatricians, dentists, lactation consultants, and sleep specialists, to provide holistic care tailored to each client’s needs.

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What are OMDs

Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs) occur when there are irregularities in the form or function of the oral and facial muscles. These disorders affect how the muscles are used during speaking, eating, swallowing, and breathing, and can also impact skeletal and dental development.

OMDs can present at any age:

Infants/Young Children: difficulty feeding or chewing, prolonged oral habits
Children/Adolescents: speech clarity challenges, tongue thrust, mouth breathing, malocclusion (bite misalignment)
Adults: sleep-disordered breathing, facial pain, bruxism, postural issues, persistent oral habits

For more information on OMD’s, click here

Signs and symptoms of OMDs

A diagnosis of OMDs may include one or more of the following patterns:

Poor nasal breathing
Abnormal lip or tongue rest posture (e.g., tongue forward or low, open-mouth posture)
Lip incompetence (inability to maintain lips closed at rest)
Tongue thrust swallow
Poor chewing and food management
Oral habits such as thumb/finger sucking, cheek or nail biting
Bruxism (teeth grinding)
Atypical oral placement for speech sounds

Who can benefit from OMT

Children:

Difficulty with nasal breathing or frequent mouth breathing
Tongue thrust swallow or low tongue posture
Persistent oral habits (thumb/pacifier use, nail biting)
Speech clarity issues linked to oral posture
Chewing/swallowing difficulties or feeding delays

Teens & Adults:

Mouth breathing, particularly during sleep or rest
Tongue thrust patterns in speech or swallowing
Bite misalignments or orthodontic relapse
Facial tension, jaw pain, headaches
Sleep-disordered breathing or apnea symptoms
Bruxism, poor posture, or persistent oral habits

OMT can support improved comfort, function, breathing, and overall health across the lifespan.

Habit Elimination Program

Persistent oral habits—such as thumb sucking, finger sucking, or prolonged pacifier use—can interfere with dental alignment, tongue posture, jaw development, speech clarity, and breathing patterns if they continue past early childhood.

Our Habit Elimination Program uses positive, evidence-based methods to gently guide children toward discontinuing these habits. With family involvement and consistent strategies, success is often achieved within approximately four weeks.

FAQs

Please click here for frequently asked questions and answers in the area of orofacial myofunctional therapy