Physical Therapy for Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders
Orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) is a specialized assessment and treatment that focuses on the muscles and functions of the face, mouth, tongue, and throat. It should be performed by a qualified professional who specializes in this area.
What are Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMD)?
An orofacial myofunctional disorder (OMD) occurs when there are atypical tongue, lip, and jaw positions or movement during rest, swallowing, or speech. OMDs can result from a combination of both structural variations in the mouth and facial muscles, as well as prolonged behavioral patterns like finger/thumb sucking or mouth breathing.
Here are examples of orofacial myofunctional disorders:
- Tongue tie
- Mouth breathing (mouth open at rest)
- Jaw malocclusions (overbite, underbite, or open bite)
- Tongue thrust (tongue between teeth while swallowing)
- Lip tie
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy is used as a non-invasive treatment approach for variety of conditions, including:
- Jaw pain (TMD/TMJ)
- Clenching and grinding/bruxism
- Headaches and migraines
- Swallowing dysfunction
- Facial asymmetry
- Disordered sleeping/sleep apnea
- Tinnitus/ear ringing/ear stuffiness
- Other airway and breathing issues
How Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy Can Help
Our skilled physical therapists will assess your specific condition, evaluate your muscle function, and develop a personalized treatment plan. The therapy may include exercises, stretches, and techniques to improve muscle strength, coordination, and relaxation. Therapists will also provide education on proper oral habits including proper tongue posture and swallowing techniques to optimize orofacial muscle function.
Orofacial myofunctional therapy focuses on retraining the muscles involved in:
- Jaw stabilization
- Breathing
- Chewing
- Swallowing
- Facial Expression
What to Expect
We are committed to helping you return to full function without pain. Every individual is different. That is why your physical therapist will take the time to listen and understand your story and conduct a thorough evaluation. Your physical therapy plan of care may include education and exercises to address:
- Tongue and jaw rest positions
- Overall posture and ergonomics
- Stretching and strengthening for your tongue, jaw, neck, back and core muscles
- Hands-on treatment (manual therapy) on the face, neck and inside the mouth
- Joint mobilization
- Relaxation, stress management and breathing techniques
- Sleep hygiene
- Oral habits and activity modifications
- Modalities, as needed for pain
- Referral to other providers to help with overall care, if needed
Our physical therapists often work in collaboration with other healthcare providers, such as dentists, orthodontists, chiropractors, ENT’s, acupuncturists, and speech pathologists, to provide comprehensive care for jaw pain and headaches. If you are experiencing these symptoms, please contact one of our clinics listed below for evaluation.
**Telehealth options are available for those that do not live close to a participating location**
