For Providers
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Orthodontists
Orofacial myofunctional therapy helps to support your efforts in attaining optimal alignment of dentition by facilitating proper tongue and orofacial movements. We work with patients to: improve lip seal in order to provide a consistent natural barrier for their teeth, eliminate interdental tongue resting positioning and tongue thrust actions that affect tooth alignment, and reinforce the proper tongue resting position at the roof of the mouth for overall support within the mouth. Improving these functions through therapy reduces the likelihood of orthodontic relapse.
Dentists
Orofacial myofunctional therapy aids in maintaining a patient’s dental health in a number of ways. Therapy improves tongue range of motion and function for thorough clearing of food from the oral cavity. Nasal breathing is reinforced, which increases nitric oxide production and decreases bacteria growth in mouth, thereby minimizing the risk of caries and periodontal disease. Establishing correct muscle use and orofacial functional patterns helps to optimally develop the jaw, and prevent dental crowding and malocclusions. By achieving proper dental alignment and support from the tongue, as well as improved airway health, therapy helps to minimize teeth clenching and grinding that can otherwise wear down the bite surfaces of teeth.
Physicians
Quite simply, how our mouths function affects how we breathe, and how we breathe affects not only airway health, but also digestion, sleep, and systemic health and function. By training patients to consistently nasal breathe, maintain lip closure at rest, have proper tongue positioning, and initiate swallowing with the correct technique, orofacial myofunctional therapy treatment can significantly help to improve mouth and airway health and function. The result of these improvements is a positive impact on the overall health of your patients.
Chiropractors
Temporomandibular joint disorders, neck and/or back pain, and headaches are a few of the common reasons that motivate patients to seek chiropractic care. Incorporating treatment to retrain posture and oromotor function can play a crucial role in helping to alleviate such symptoms. More specifically, tongue ties and related restrictions contribute to tightness in connective tissue, and subsequently undue stress in joints and the nervous system, throughout the body all the way down to the toes. Along with altering mouth and facial movement patterns and function, these restrictions can cause such symptoms as forward head and neck posture, dysfunctional breathing patterns, and even abnormal gait. These structural and functional issues can contribute to pain and further dysfunction over time. Our treatment helps to address abnormal movement patterns down the chain and restore optimal function through the strengthening of orofacial, postural, and respiratory muscles, the elimination of compensatory muscle recruitment, the alleviation of fascial tightness, and the establishment of consistent nasal diaphragmatic breathing.
Any and All Healthcare Providers
Though we each have something different to offer, we are all in the same business of promoting health. Healthy patients are happy patients, and happy patients are happy to share their experiences and make referrals.
I believe that to most effectively impact patients’ health, we need to work together in healthcare teams consisting of diverse yet complementary treatment perspectives that allow us to learn from and support each other.
If you have questions for me, or if you are interested in partnering together so that we can provide the best possible care for our patients, please reach out.
I look forward to speaking with you, growing a network of likeminded providers, and expanding the available resources to offer our patients.
