OMT aims to:
Prepare for frenectomies or tongue tie release pre- and post operatively.
Strengthen muscle tone of the tongue and throat to reduce snoring and to be able to comply with the use of sleep apnea appliances or not require them altogether, depending on severity and advice from a sleep physician. Clenching and grinding (Bruxism) which can lead to temporomandibular joint dysfunctions can also be improved with such therapy.
A bespoke program will teach you to correct and rehabilitate oral functions such as chewing and swallowing, breathing and sleeping by strengthening weak muscles and behaviour modification in order to improve overall health.
Harmony Orofacial Myology programs can help tackle nonnutritive sucking habits, tongue thrust or pacifier (dummy) dependence, nail biting, address mouth breathing and sleep disturbance issues.
Orofacial myology therapy
Re-training the orofacial muscle complex can have an amazing impact on the whole body. When we look for myofunctional dysfunction we are observing structures that are working together to achieve one thing: keeping you alive through breathing. The body has ways of compensating to achieve this which can affect posture, speech, swallowing, digestion and chewing abilities.
Known as orofacial myofunctional therapy/orofacial myology is a set of muscle re-training exercises. Just like a body builder trains and strengthens muscle growth through specific sets of exercises, the muscles of the face, throat and tongue can be improved to restore optimal functioning.
In relation to tongue tie corrections, it is advised to re-train the tongue muscles in preparation prior to undertaking frenectomies to correct a restricted lingual frenulum. The exercise program prepares the clients for surgery and post operatively; it helps to restore proper function of the tongue.
Correcting mouth breathing will help to alleviate a variety of concerns such as headaches, reducing gingivitis and periodontal disease, sore throat and blocked nose, bad breath, increased risk of dental decay, sleep disordered breathing, snoring and digestive disturbances related to poor swallowing habits.
In children, mouth breathing and disrupted sleep have been associated in research with difficulties with attention and concentration, learning, posture and facial growth. In adults, mouth breathing has been associated with snoring and disrupted sleep, and may be relevant to other health concerns. If you’re concerned about your or your child’s breathing or sleep, please speak with your GP, dentist or sleep physician. Orofacial myofunctional therapy is not a substitute for medical assessment or treatment.
Tongue thrust occurs when the muscles for swallowing have learnt to work together incorrectly. This creates a problem and causes teeth crowding because of the pressure the tongue applies onto the teeth, it is necessary to correct this habit in order to re-align teeth through orthodontics (braces or aligners) successfully, working with airway conscious dentists and orthodontists, OMT can help correct the underlaying reason for teeth crowding.
The myology program for children will help to address issues early and thus establish nasal breathing and correct tongue and lip posture, improving problems with facial development and reducing detrimental effects on swallowing, speech and sleeping.
OMT will retrain and strengthen muscles to help retain myofunctional appliances in the pre orthodontic phase, that creates the correct muscle habits and movement to facilitate the growth of the bones of the jaw to allow for expansion to house adult teeth.
Want to read the research?
These are published reviews that look at breathing, sleep and oral function. They’re written for clinicians, so you might like to read them with your GP, dentist or sleep physician. They describe patterns across many studies. They don’t predict what will happen for any one person.
Sleep, breathing and attention in children
Sedky K, Bennett DS, Carvalho KS. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and sleep disordered breathing in pediatric populations: a meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 2014.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24581717/
A review of studies finding that attention-related symptoms and sleep-disordered breathing often occur together in children.
Sleep disordered breathing and neurobehavioral deficits in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Pediatrics, 2024.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10799548/
A review of how sleep-disordered breathing relates to behavioural and emotional difficulties in young people.
Mouth breathing and facial development in children
Zheng W, Zhang X, Dong J, He J. Facial morphological characteristics of mouth breathers vs. nasal breathers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of lateral cephalometric data. Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 2020.
https://spandidos-publications.com/10.3892/etm.2020.8611
A review comparing facial measurements in mouth breathers and nasal breathers. The authors note that more high-quality studies are needed.
Effect of mouth breathing on facial skeletal development and malocclusion in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Oral Health, 2021.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7944632
Another review of how breathing patterns and jaw and facial growth are related.
Myofunctional therapy
Camacho M, Certal V, Abdullatif J, et al. Myofunctional therapy to treat obstructive sleep apnea: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep, 2015.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4402674/
A review of small studies of oral and throat exercises. The authors describe the therapy as a possible addition to other treatments, not a replacement.
DISCLAIMER: This information is general and isn’t a substitute for medical advice. If you’re concerned about your or your child’s breathing or sleep, please speak with your GP, dentist or sleep physician.
Heidy graduated from Curtin University of Technology 1998 (Western Australia) and has practiced preventive dentistry in various settings within the dental field.
She has undertaken numerous courses to advance her knowledge in orofacial myology and aims to continue her education to become a leading therapist in the field of functional dentistry and airway focused treatments, by adapting plans and creating tailor-made programs for each individual seeking her care.
She is a practicing dental hygienist, if you are seeking her expertise as a dental hygienist, you can find her at the following location: