Myofunctional Therapy
HEATHER HUGGETT
Myofunctional Therapist
Do you suffer from any of these:
- JAW PAIN
- ORTHODONTIC RELAPSE
- CROOKED TEETH
- CHRONIC TENSION
- MOOD DISORDERS
- TOXIC ORAL HABITS
- TONGUE THRUST
- SNORING
- CHRONIC HEADACHES
- TEETH GRINDING/CLENCHING
- SWALLOWING DIFFICULTIES
- POOR POSTURE
- SLEEP APNEA/SNORING
- TONGUE TIE
- SPEECH PROBLEMS
- DIGESTIVE ISSUES
About Essential-OMT.com
What are Myofunctional Disorders?
What are Myofunctional Disorders?
What are Myofunctional Disorders?
Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs) involve issues with the muscles and functions of the face and mouth, impacting various aspects such as breastfeeding, facial skeletal growth, chewing, swallowing, speech, occlusion, TMJ movement, oral hygiene, stability of orthodontic treatment, facial esthetics, and other related functions.
Goals of Therapy
What are Myofunctional Disorders?
What are Myofunctional Disorders?
- Nasal Breathing
- Lips sealed
- Proper tongue posture
- Correct swallowing pattern
Myofunctional Therapy
What are Myofunctional Disorders?
Myofunctional Therapy
Myofunctional therapy involves a blend of exercises similar to physical therapy to enhance the bite, breathing, and facial posture of individuals with orofacial myofunctional disorders. This therapy focuses on the soft tissues of the face, neck, and mouth to achieve the ideal tongue position and oral rest posture.
Are you a Candidate?
Patients often want to know if myofunctional therapy is right for them! We offer Comprehensive Consultations to deep dive into your symptoms to help formulate a treatment plan that is specific and tailored to your needs. However, sometimes it's nice to do a self assessment or screening ahead of time to get an idea of how your symptoms may relate to myofunctional disorders. We have created a screening tool to help you learn more as well as see if myofunctional therapy could be part of your next steps! At the end, if you have checked more than 25 boxes, myofunctional therapy could be right for you! Let's get started!
Early Childhood/Birth/Feeding/Oral Habits
- C-Section or Breach Birth or Vacuum Used or Traumatic Birth (Long Labor or Birthed Very Quickly)
- Bottle-fed more than 50% of time during infancy
- Painful Nursing or Shallow Latch or Nipple Shield Used
- Poor Weight Gain
- Reflux, Spitting Up, or Colic
- Unable to hold pacifier
- Milk dribbling out of mouth
- Poor/Over Supply
- Clicking or smacking noise when eating
- Multiple ear infections and/or tubes placed
- Sucked thumb in past, stopped prior to age 3
- Thumb, finger, or pacifier sucking past age 3
- Nail biting, hair chewing or twirling, clothes biting, fidgeting in general
- Diagnosed with ADD/ADHD as a child or considered hyperactive/lack of focus at school or work
Speech History
- Speech Therapy in the past or present
- Speech delay
- Struggle with Sounds: R, L, S, TH, Ch
- Mumbling
- General lack of clarity
- Voice projection,
- Sound “nasaly”
- Stutter or Tripping over words
- Frustration with communication
- Difficult to understand by others
- Difficulty speaking fast
- Difficulty getting words out (grasping for words)
Airway/Breathing Evaluation
- No - Can you hold a popsicle stick or folded sticky note between your lips and breathe through the nose for 3 minutes?
- Tonsils and/or adenoids removed in past
- Patient Breathes through their mouth during the day more than 50%
- Patient Breathes through their mouth or snores at night
- Asthma, allergies, chronic congestion, sinus problems/infections
- Deviated septum/nasal/airway surgery
- Tonsils/adenoids enlarged and visible
Can you see the back of your throat when you open?
- No
- A small amount
- Does your tongue have scalloping on it?
Mouth Resting Posture
- Mouth is open often, but not greater than 50%
- Mouth is open greater than 50%
- Unsure of where my lips rest most of the time
- Mouth breathing any time during the day or night
Tongue Posture
- Tongue is positioned low, in bottom of mouth, not against palate
- Tongue tip is against upper or lower teeth
- Tongue tip is between upper and lower teeth
- Back of the tongue is floating or between the teeth
- Unsure of where tongue rests in the mouth
Digestive Concerns
- Digestive issues more than once per week
- Acid reflux symptoms
- Bloating, burping, hiccupping or gas
- History or current issues with constipation or diarrhea
- SIBO, IBS, other digestive issues
- Alterations to diet - eliminating dairy, gluten
Swallowing
- Tongue thrust swallowing pattern (tongue touches teeth when you swallow)
- Trouble with drooling/saliva pooling
- Difficulty breathing while eating, open mouth chewing, or use of liquids to swallow food
- Picky Eater or Messy Eater
- Water goes down the wrong pipe sometimes or choking on food
- Difficulty swallowing pills
- Hyperactive gag reflex
Head and Neck Concerns and Posture
- Headache more than once per week
- Jaw/facial pain more than once per week
- Neck/shoulder pain tension
- Grinding/clenching at night, night guard worn or recommended
- Can you whistle? : No
- Can you wink? : No , one side only
- Can you click your tongue? : No
- Make taco tongue?: No
- Big, Cheesy Smile with pain or tension? : No
- Lift Eyebrows? : Yes, but pain
- Does Your Neck Flex when you Smile or feel tension in the neck? : Yes
- Forward head/neck posture
- Rolled shoulders
- Have worked with massage, chiropractor, craniosacral therapist, other body work professional
Sleep
- Less than 6 hours of sleep
- Less than 8 hours of sleep
- Occasional or frequent snoring
- Sleep test taken or recommended
- Diagnosed with sleep apnea or UARS (upper airway resistance syndrome)
- Fatigue and daytime sleepiness, poor sleep, and/or brain fog
- Do you wake feeling still tired?
- History or bedwetting or nightmares
- Sleep Walking or Sleep Talking
- Restless or light sleeper
- Uses CPAP appliance or dental sleep appliance
Restricted Lingual Frenum (Tongue-Tie)
- Lingual frenum was released as a baby
- No - Can you suction your tongue to the roof of your mouth and hold it for 1 minute?
- No - Can you suction your tongue to the roof of your mouth and open more than 30%?
- Yes - Can you suction your tongue to the roof of your mouth and open more than 30%?
- Do you have a heart shape on the end of your tongue?
- Does the frenum or string on your tongue attach to your lower front teeth? (looks like the Eiffel Tower)
- Does your jaw move side to side or drag on your teeth when you move your tongue from side to side?
- Do you have pain when you reach the tip of your tongue upwards behind your top front teeth?
- No - Does your tongue lift more than 50% to reach your top front teeth with mouth wide open?
Transform Your Life with Essential-OMT.com
I'm Heather, an Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist
As an Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist, my primary focus revolves around enhancing individuals health and well-being. I am especially committed to addressing sleep-related breathing issues among my clients, with the ultimate aim of helping them breathe correctly and lead healthy, enriching lives.
My therapeutic approach is tailored to assist individuals with various conditions such as mouth breathing, tongue thrust, sleep apnea, upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS), tongue tie, TMJ pain, and other myofunctional disorders.
Having trained with leading experts in Myofunctional sciences, my diverse studies have influenced the way I educate and collaborate with patients, utilizing a holistic mind, body, and spirit approach.
I am proud to be associated with esteemed organizations such as the International Association of Airway Hygienists, Airway Circle, American Academy of Physiological Medicine and Dentistry, The American Academy for Oral Systemic Health, International Association Airway Hygienists, and serve as a MyoMentor Ambassador.
VIRTUAL THERAPY SESSIONS
Your life is busy. Adding one more place to be in an already packed schedule can be overwhelming.
Essential-OMT offers online sessions for orofacial myofunctional therapy so that it can be done in the comfort of your own home at a time that's convenient for you.
RESEARCH AND RESOURCES
BOOKS:
The Dental Diet, Dr Steven Lin
Early Sirens, Dr Felix Liao
Six-Foot Tiger, Three-Foot Cage, Dr Felix Liao
Gasp, Dr’s Michael Gelb and Howard Linden
Tongue-tied, Dr Richard Baxter
Jaws, Sandra Kahn and Paul Ehrlich
GoPex, Dr’s Simon Wong and Sandra Kahn
Orofacial Myology, Marvin Hanson and Robert Mason
Shut Your Mouth And Save Your Life, George Catlin
The 8-Hour Sleep Paradox, Dr. Mark Burhenne
Tongue Thrust Research
Effect of Tongue Thrust Swallowing on Position of Anterior Teeth
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3517276/
The effect of orofacial myofunctional treatment in children with anterior open bite and tongue dysfunction: a pilot study
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4914902/
Tongue Tie Research:
Lingual frenuloplasty with myofunctional therapy: Exploring safety and efficacy in 348 cases.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31637291
Defining ankyloglossia: a case series of anterior and posterior tongue ties.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20557951
Ankyloglossia as a risk factor for maxillary hypoplasia and soft palate elongation: A functional –
morphological study.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28994495
Toward a functional definition ofankyloglossia: validating current gradingscales for lingual frenulum length andtongue mobility in 1052 subjectsLingual and Maxillary Labial Frenuloplasty with Myofunctional Therapy as a Treatment for Mouth Breathing and Snoring
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/criot/2019/3408053/
Toward a functional definition of ankyloglossia: validating current grading scales for lingual frenulum length and tongue mobility in 1052 subjects.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28097623
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
http://www.sleepassociation.org/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea/obstructive-sleep-apnea
Snoring research:
Poothrikovil RP, Al Abri MA. Snoring-induced nerve lesions in the upper airway. Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. 2012 May;12(2):161-8. doi: 10.12816/0003108. Epub 2012 Apr 9. PMID: 22548134; PMCID: PMC3327562.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3327562/
OSA & Myofunctional Therapy:
Camacho M, Certal V, Abdullatif J, Zaghi S, Ruoff CM, Capasso R, Kushida CA.
Myofunctional Therapy to Treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sleep. 2015 May 1;38(5):669-75. doi: 10.5665/sleep.4652. PMID: 25348130; PMCID: PMC4402674.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4402674/
de Felício CM, da Silva Dias FV, Trawitzki LVV.
Obstructive sleep apnea: focus on myofunctional
therapy. Nat Sci Sleep. 2018 Sep 6;10:271-286. doi: 10.2147/NSS.S141132. PMID: 30233265; PMCID: PMC6132228.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6132228/
Myofunctional therapy and CPAP:
Myofunctional therapy improves adherence to continuous positive airway pressure treatment
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27913971
ADHD/SBD/Myofunctional Therapy:
Um YH, Hong SC, Jeong JH. Sleep Problems as Predictors in Attention-Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder: Causal Mechanisms, Consequences and Treatment. Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci. 2017 Feb 28;15(1):9-18. doi: 10.9758/cpn.2017.15.1.9. PMID: 28138105; PMCID: PMC5290714.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5290714/
Mouth breathing Research articles
Lee SY, Guilleminault C, Chiu HY, Sullivan SS. Mouth breathing, “nasal disuse,” and pediatric sleep-disordered breathing. Sleep Breath. 2015 Apr 16;19(4):1257-64. In: PubMed Central [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US). Available from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25877805
The Mouth Breathing Syndrome: prevalence, causes, consequences and treatments. A Literature Review
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290106138_The_Mouth_Breathing_Syndrome_prevalence_causes_consequences_and_treatments_A_Literature_Review
Intraoral pH and temperature during sleep with and without mouth breathing
The mouth breathing syndrome: prevalence, causes, consequences and treatment
https://aomtinfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Mouthbreathing-Martins-2014.pdf
Hsu HY, Yamaguchi K. Decreased chewing activity during mouth breathing.
J Oral Rehabil. 2012 Apr 10;39(8):559-67. In: PubMed Central [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US). Available from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22490018
Oral breathing and speech disorders in children
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021755713000958
Three-dimensional assessment of pharyngeal airway in nasal- and mouth-breathing children https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165587611002965?via%3Dihub
Buteyko Breathing
Nasal breathing helps defend against the Corona Virus (Covid 19).
https://www.facebook.com/O2Advantage/posts/10215967099636666
138 Steve Donald: Breathing Physiology and Buteyko
https://kathrynbruniyoung.com/138-steve-donald-breathing-physiology-and-buteyko/
Buteyko for Children – Buteyko Breathing Association
https://www.buteykobreathing.org/buteyko-for-children/
Myofunctional Therapy Research
Um YH, Hong SC, Jeong JH. Sleep Problems as Predictors in Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Causal Mechanisms, Consequences and Treatment. Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci. 2017 Feb 28;15(1):9-18. doi: 10.9758/cpn.2017.15.1.9. PMID: 28138105; PMCID: PMC5290714. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5290714/
Prado DGA, Berretin-Felix G, Migliorucci RR, Bueno MDRS, Rosa RR, Polizel M, Teixeira IF, Gavião MBD. Effects of orofacial myofunctional therapy on masticatory function in individuals submitted to orthognathic surgery: a randomized trial. J Appl Oral Sci. 2018 Feb 1;26:e20170164. doi: 10.1590/1678- 7757-2017-0164. PMID: 29412368; PMCID: PMC5777416. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29412368
Van Dyck C, Dekeyser A, Vantricht E, Manders E, Goeleven A, Fieuws S, Willems G. The effect of orofacial myofunctional treatment in children with anterior open bite and tongue dysfunction: a pilot study. Eur J Orthod. 2016 Jun;38(3):227-34. doi: 10.1093/ejo/cjv044. Epub 2015 Jul 1. PMID: 26136435; PMCID: PMC4914902. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26136435
Yoon, A., Zaghi, S., Weitzman, R. et al. Toward a functional definition of ankyloglossia: validating current grading scales for lingual frenulum length and tongue mobility in 1052 subjects. Sleep Breath. 2017 Jan 17; 21(3): 767–775. In: PubMed Central [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US). Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28097623
Zaghi S, Valcu-Pinkerton S, Jabara M, et al. Lingual frenuloplasty with myofunctional therapy:
Exploring safety and efficacy in 348 cases. Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol. 2019 Aug 26;4(5):489-496. In: PubMed Central [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US).Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31637291
Govardhan C, Murdock J, Norouz-Knutsen L, et al. Lingual and maxillary labial frenuloplasty with myofunctional therapy as a treatment for mouth breathing and snoring. Case Rep Otolaryngol.2019 Mar 10;([10 p.]. [about 5 screens]. [about 12 paragraphs]). In: PubMed Central [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US). Available from
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/criot/2019/3408053/
Chuang LC, Lian YC, Auboiron MH, et al. Passive myofunctional therapy applied on children with obstructive sleep apnea: A 6 month follow up. J Formos Med Assoc. 2017 July 1;116(7):536-541. In ScienceDirect [Internet]. Amsterdam (NL): Elsevier. Available from:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27712960
