Orofacial Myology
What is Orofacial Myology?
Orofacial Myology (OFM) is a special area of therapy that focuses on assessing and treating issues with the muscles of the face and mouth. These issues can affect normal functions like breathing, eating, speaking, and sleeping. OFM uses targeted exercises to improve the movement of the face, tongue, and lips, promoting healthy habits and proper muscle function.
These movements are essential for overall well-being, influencing how well you sleep, concentrate, and feel throughout the day. At PhysioMotion Cairns, our Physiotherapist, Amelia, is trained in OFM and can help guide you through this treatment process.
Goals of OFM:
- Encourage proper oral resting posture
- Promote nasal breathing
- Normalise swallowing patterns
- Support healthy facial growth and jaw alignment
- Improve chewing effectiveness
- Enhance the function of the jaw, tongue, and lips for better eating, speaking, and oral rest
- Improve posture for better breathing
- Eliminate harmful habits (e.g., thumb-sucking, nail-biting)
- Reduce jaw stress, including teeth grinding or clenching
What is an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder (OMD)?
An Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder (OMD) occurs when there’s an abnormal position of the lips, jaw, or tongue during rest, swallowing, or speech. These disorders can lead to various issues, including difficulty eating, speaking, or breathing properly.
Impact of Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs)
OMDs can affect various aspects of a person's health and development, including:
Dentition: Misaligned teeth or bite issues can arise due to poor tongue posture and mouth habits.
Breathing: Mouth breathing can lead to shallow and inefficient breathing patterns which can cause sleep issues.
Facial Growth: Abnormal muscle function can affect how the face and jaw develop, leading to structural changes.
Speech: OMDs can cause speech difficulties, such as lisping or unclear articulation.
Swallow: Inefficient swallowing patterns can develop, leading to challenges with eating and digestion.
Voice: Voice quality can be impacted due to improper breathing and muscle tension.
Feeding/Picky Eating: Children with OMDs can struggle with chewing or be picky eaters due to discomfort or difficulty swallowing. They may show signs of lip smacking, loud eating, frequent spillage, chocking or gagging, taking along time to eat, chewing only on one side and difficulty using a straw.
Attention & Concentration: Poor breathing and sleep quality can affect a child’s ability to focus and learn.
Posture: Improper tongue and jaw posture can lead to overall poor posture, affecting breathing and movement.
Sleep: Snoring, frequent waking, bedwetting past 3-4 years, problems with memory, pauses in breathing, clenching teeth, attention difficulties.
Lactation: Signs in baby include tethered oral tissues (tongue, lip or buccal ties), poor lip seal and suck patterns, reflux and vomiting, clicking sounds during feeding. Signs for the mother include mastitis, low milk supply, pain or nipple trauma.
Importance of OFM in Tongue, Lip or Buccal Ties
If your child has tongue, lip, or buccal ties, early intervention with a trained professional is essential. Orofacial Myology before and after the release of these ties helps to:
Prepare the tongue for new movements post-release.
Train the tongue to move independently from the floor of the mouth and neck.
Stretch soft tissue muscles to improve the release outcome and reduce tension.
Minimise oral sensitivity and aversion to new sensations.
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