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Myofunctional Wellness, LLC

Blending science, compassion and expertise to help people of all ages overcome breathing and orofacial challenges in a supportive environment. 

Michelle Sirois
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy

What Is Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy? 

OMT is a specific type of neuromuscular re-education and therapy that focuses on retraining the muscles of the mouth, face and nose to improve overall functions of breathing, swallowing and speaking. It aims to correct abnormal muscular patterns and improve functions. 

OMT utilize exercises that improve the strength, position and coordination of the mouth, tongue, lips and throat. These relatively easy and painless exercises over time will allow the patient to correctly  achieve proper lip and tongue posture. Through a simple and comprehensive program, children and adults who still practice pacifier use and/ or thumb/finger sucking habits will be eliminated. Correctly articulate speech sounds, correctly achieve proper swallow patterns, widen and strengthen soft palate and pharynx which will aid in better breathing patterns and sleep patterns. 

What Are Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders?

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), OMDs are abnormal or atypical muscular movement patterns of the face and mouth that interfere with normal growth and development of the face and facial structures as well as affect breathing, chewing and swallowing. These incorrect movement patterns result in incorrect positioning of the tongue at rest and during swallowing. In order to properly speak, breath, and swallow, the muscles in our face, mouth, and throat need to be structured in the correct position and coordinate as they move together. The act of proper swallowing is one function that depends on the body’s vital balance. OMDs can be caused by a combination of a physical difference in the structure of the mouth/facial muscles and patterns of behaviors over time.

Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders

Who Could Benefit From OMT?

Adults and children who would benefit from this therapy have one or more of these concerns listed below:

  • Sleep-disordered breathing:

    • Snoring

    • Open mouth breathing postures

    • Drooling while awake or sleeping

    • Acid reflux

    • Post nasal drip

    • Grinding /clenching teeth

    • Painful tongue

    • Oral tissue irritation

    • Frequent sore throat

    • Family history of obstructive sleep apnea or disordered breathing

  • Obstructive sleep apnea

  • Speech difficulties:

    • Articulation problems

    • Lisps

    • Slurs

    • Inability to make certain speech sounds

    • Production of a verbal accent without living in that area

    • Speech Issues/ unclear verbal skills

  • Swallowing problems:

    • Tongue thrust

    • Difficulty chewing or swallowing

    • Food texture avoidance/aversion

    • Picky eaters

    • Choking /gagging on foods

    • Inability to masticate food properly

    • Open mouth chewing

    • Strong gag reflex

    • Acid reflux

    • GERD

    • Difficulty Swallowing Pills

  • Dental malocclusion:

    • Open bites

    • Overbite

    • Improper or inability for lip closure

    • Open mouth chewing

    • Chapped Lips

  • Jaw pain and temporomandibular disorders ( TMD):

    • Headaches/migraines

    • TMJ pain

    • Clicking jaw joint

    • Popping jaw joint

    • Tooth pain/ sensitivity

    • Neck pain

    • Facial pain

  • Ear pain and sinus congestion :

    • Frequent ear infections

    • Facial pain

    • Tinnitus

    • Blocked ears

    • Frequent congestion

    • Eye pressure

    • Frequent Sore Throat

    • Deviated septum/nasal polyps

    • Enlarged tonsils

    • Chronic Throat Infections

    • History of Ear Tubes

    • Hoarness in throat or voice that gives out

    • Difficulty speaking for long periods of time

  • Noxious oral habits:

    • Thumb and or finger sucking

    • Persistent toy/blanket in mouth

    •  Nail biting

    • Tongue thrusting

    • Teeth clenching and /or grinding

    • Lip biting/ sucking

    • Prolonged pacifier use

  • Orthodontic treatment :

    • Narrow arch (upper and lower)

    • High vaulted palate

    • Limited tongue positioning

    • Relapse of orthodontic treatment

    • Crowding of teeth

    • Malocclusion

    • Tongue Rests Low/Protrudes

  • Abnormal jaw growth and positioning: 

    • Facial asymmetry

    • Receded Chin

  • Breast feeding difficulties :

    • Lip/ cheek / tongue ties

    • Baby who fatigues or fall asleep while nursing

    • Prolonged nursing

    • “Lazy” nursing

    • Choking while nursing

    • Colic, gassiness or reflux symptoms

    • Frequent nursing

    • Clicking/leaking  during nursing

    • Poor weight gain or early weaning

    • Mouth breathing during sleep

    • Snoring or noisy breathing

  • Dark circles under eyes:

    • Corners of eyes pointing towards down

    • Dark pooling under eyes

    • Fatigued/pale appearance on face

  • Poor Oral health:

    • Periodontal disease (gum disease)

    • Dry mouth

    • Bad breath

  • Forward Head and Neck Posture :

    • Neck pain

    • Headaches/Migraines

    • Chronic Head/Neck/Shoulder Pain

  • ADHD/ADD

  • Asthma

  • Anxiety / Chronic stress

  • Daytime sleepiness

  • Insomnia

  • Restless sleep

  • Sleep Walking

  • Bed Wetting Beyond 6 yrs

Who Could Benefit?

How To Get Started

If you or your child’s pediatrician/dentist/orthodontist/ENT/other health care provider,  has concerns that he or she may have an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder, please reach out for a consultation with our orofacial myofunctional therapist. Do you need a referral to seek treatment ? No! Reach out to our office for a phone consultation to discuss whether our services can address you or your child’s individual needs. 

An initial assessment will be completed by the myofunctional therapist and a treatment plan will be made. Each program is based on each individual’s specific needs and is tailored to that patient's concerns, struggles and requirements. Patients and their myofunctional therapist will meet weekly or biweekly either in person or via zoom to assess their progress and review the following week's exercises. Each weekly session lasts approximately 30-40 mins. To be successful with these treatments, patients need to be practicing these exercises 2-3 times daily to correctly achieve proper muscle function. These exercises typically take a patient between 10-30 mins per day to complete. For success in this therapy, consistent exercise every day is necessary. It takes commitment by the patient, and family for successful completion.
 
OMD’s can be a multi-disciplinary concern; a properly trained myofunctional therapist is one member of the team that will successfully treat an OMD but it may require other allied professionals such as dentists, orthodontists, pediatrician, pediatric dentists,  ENT (Ear, nose and throat), chiropractors, massage therapists, and doctors of osteopathic medicine to address supportive concerns that may hinder or delay successful completion of the program. We believe in a holistic approach to achieve full wellbeing for each patient we serve. It takes a village! 

How To Get Started
Programs

Programs Offered in the Myofunctional Wellness Office:

01.

Mini-Myo

This program is designed for children from ages 3-5 who have started to show signs of any of the conditions listed above. This program works with parents and patients to design a program around the child’s needs or struggles. Programs typically range from 6-10 weeks depending on severity of concerns or how many concerns are being addressed. 

02.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

This program aims to lessen or eliminate our patient’s sleep disordered breathing or current obstructive sleep apnea condition. Many patients can not comfortably manage their use of a CPAP or Mandibular dental sleep device. OMT works to strengthen and develop muscles and proper function of the lip, tongue, soft palate and pharynx will allow increased airway health, possibly eliminating the need for all devices. As mentioned before, this will be a collaborative approach between your Sleep specialist, respiratory therapist and primary care team to provide the best individualized care for each patient. 

03.

Tongue/Lip/ Cheek
Tie(s)

This program is designed for patients who were born with tongue, lip and/or cheek tie(s) that are interfering with proper oral resting posture of the lips and tongue as well as maintenance of a healthy airway. Not all patients who were born with these ties need surgical intervention but as you work with our myofunctional therapist, a comprehensive evaluation will be used to determine if full oral function can be achieved with or without surgical intervention. If proper function is being challenged by a tongue, lip and or cheek tie, your provider will work with you prior to surgical intervention to strengthen musculature as well as after the release of tissues to correct proper resting tongue posture and lip postures. 

Contact

Contact

Enfield, CT

860-874-2589

msirois53@gmail.com

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