MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPY
Healthy oral function promotes healthy growth and development.
What is Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy?
Orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) refers to training of the oral and facial musculature for the improvement of proper tone, mobility, and function. It helps restore proper function of the tongue and facial muscles by teaching proper positioning and movement to improve swallowing, speech, breathing, and resting position of the lips, tongue, and cheeks.
Myofunctional therapy can be a great adjunct to both speech therapy as well as orthodontic treatment. When an oral habit has contributed to a growth or bite imbalance, OMT can help retrain musculature to prevent relapse of a misaligned bite by helping stabilize your treatment results and improving a child's oral awareness.
GOALS AND BENEFITS
Aims of Myofunctional Therapy
Myofunctional therapy aims to:
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Improve tongue position and function
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Improve lip seal and function
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Improve swallowing
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Strengthen nasal breathing
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Promote balanced growth of jaws
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Improve speech
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Prevent relapse of a corrected bite
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Improve sleep-disordered breathing
Successful management of oral habits may require a team approach. The team may include a general or pediatric dentist, orthodontist, ear nose and throat physician (ENT), speech pathologist, and pediatrician.
Kelsey Bolakowski, LDH, Orofacial Myologist
As an Orofacial Myologist, Kelsey is able to pinpoint imbalances within facial and oral musculature that may be causing airway, swallowing, speech, and other developmental issues.
Due to her extensive pediatric dental background, she specializes in providing myofunctional therapy services to pediatric patients, specifically children ages 3 to 12 years old. She has years of clinical experience in both pediatric and orthodontic settings.
After determining your child would benefit from myofunctional therapy, Kelsey would work one on one with your child to give personalized training through our Mini Myo Program. Kelsey's expertise, dedication to providing preventive care, and passion for helping others achieve optimal health and growth, combine to provide her patients with the best possible care.
Orofacial myofunctional therapy helps in harmonizing facial muscle function and provides training that helps with toning and resistance of the oral musculature.
Godley Family Orthodontics is one of the few orthodontist practices in Indiana providing myofunctional therapy services for patients. We offer therapy through our Mini Myo Therapy program. OMT can have a dramatic influence on growth, development, speech, eating, and overall health for those in need.
It is important to understand that OMT is active training, the success of which depends on the motivation and compliance of children and their parents.
To schedule a myofunctional evaluation with our orofacial myolgoist, Kelsey, please contact our team at Godley Family Orthodontics.