What is Orofacial Myology?

Orofacial Myology is the identification and treatment of myofunctional disorders: disorders whereby the face, tongue, and jaw muscles are not functioning as intended. Myofunctional disorders disrupt the growth and development of the craniofacial anatomy and dentition and have been shown to disrupt neurotransmitter function. Muscles dictate where bones develop. If bones are not developing where they should, the muscles must be re-educated in order to achieve the desired outcome.

The History of Orofacial Myology

The brief history of orofacial myology began in the early 1900s when it was known that mouth breathing caused undesired growth problems. Numerous dental devices were created to stop mouth breathing and correct developmental issues of the cranio-skeleton Orofacial myology (OM) identifies and treats myofunctional disorders. The term myofunctional is defined as: “of, relating to, or concerned with muscle function especially in the treatment of orthodontic problems, speech therapy and sleep disorders. Disorders whereby the face, tongue, and jaw muscles are not functioning as intended.”

Therapy is comprised of prescriptive exercises that target the facial muscles used to breathe, speak, chew, and swallow. These exercises work to strengthen the tongue to reach its ideal posture. When the tongue is positioned forward, and up it opens the airway, reduces habits like thumb sucking and mouth breathing, and it also stabilizes the jaw. When the jaw is stabilized, the chewing muscles may begin to deactivate from habitual clenching and grinding. The patient will also be asked to wear a “spot” made of stomahesive on their palate, which trains the tongue to sit properly against the roof of the mouth.

Orofacial Myology is successful because muscle moves bone. Most people have seen a child’s teeth and bite change because they have a thumb sucking habit, or an adult’s teeth relapse after their childhood orthodontic treatment. If a muscle is not functioning correctly, the body will employ the surrounding muscles to compensate for its dysfunction, especially when it comes to improper breathing habits. The body’s most important task is to keep you breathing. When compensation or habit becomes chronic, it can cause permanent changes to your skeletal system and cause long-term issues. Our goal is to treat the root cause of the problem and address it before it becomes a chronic issue.

Patients often assume that the aging body is destined to experience one or more of the following: snoring, sleep apnoea, muscles weakness, lack of facial muscle tone/sagging jowls, crooked/crowded teeth/malocclusion, and difficulty swallowing. OM can intervene and prevent that process from continuing. If we want to breathe efficiently, speak well, chew effectively, and swallow functionally, we must have properly functioning muscles. Our bodies operate on a “use it or lose it” platform. Just as we know we have to lift weights to keep our bodies fit, OM is there to help tone and strengthen our facial structures to maintain good posture and promote healthy function.