I hear of people searching online for videos and lists of orofacial myofunctional therapy exercises, so they can treat their own orofacial myofunctional disorders (like tongue thrusting) at home, without the help of a professional. I understand the importance of...
Good oral rest position involves: Tongue up on the palate Lips closure Nasal breathing Slight space between the upper and lower teeth According to new research, one way to evaluate an individual’s ability to nasal breathe is to have him or her breathe through the nose...
If a frenectomy, frenotomy, or frenuloplasty is in the future of you or your child, it’s important to line up your pre- and post-procedural care well in advance. Scrambling to find help post-procedurally can be stressful, and it’s often hard to find a well-qualified...
Braces are a major investment of both time and money, and believe it or not, some people have to go through the process multiple times. In my practice, I’ve treated patients who have gone through up to THREE rounds of braces! THREE!!! 😱 Why is it that some people need...
There’s no problem with choosing to give your child a pacifier, but did you know that it’s recommended that children be weaned from it within the 2nd 6 months of life? This is important for a few reasons: Pacifier use beyond 6 months has been associated with an...
Have you heard that Alyssa Stiles, BS, RDH, LMT, COM, CLC and Sarah Klein, RN, IBCLC have teamed up to offer services for infants with breastfeeding difficulties?! Here’s what we have to offer: Lactation Counseling Tethered Oral Tissues (TOTs)-savvy lactation...
I’m committed to learning, so I can maximize the potential of my patients. I’ve already exceeded the continuing education requirements for all relevant licensure and certifications that I hold. When you’re looking for a myofunctional therapist, choose one who values...
I find that people often conflate orofacial myofunctional therapy and myofascial release. They are two different things, but there is some overlap. Orofacial myofunctional therapy is a hierarchical series of exercises and activities to establish the habituation of...
Humans swallow over 500 times a day. The effects of improper use of the facial muscles during swallowing can be cumulative. Long-term, untreated orofacial muscle dysfunction could cause a number of issues, including dental malocclusions, collapse of dental arches,...
For individuals of all ages, it’s important to prepare for a frenectomy with stretches and/or exercises BEFORE AND AFTER the procedure . Here are a few reasons why. For babies: By having us teach the caregivers stretches beforehand, you can turn the process into a...
We’re rolling out a new mission statement: “We are dedicated to preventing, identifying, and treating orofacial myofunctional disorders, with an emphasis on early intervention to promote proper orofacial growth and development. Our goal is to make happy, healthy...
Let me start with this: non-nutritive sucking is a normal part of oral development in infants. Although many people think that prolonged thumb sucking is just a bad habit, it’s important to consider the other theories behind why it happens. Here are some of the...
A Certified Orofacial Myologist (COM)® is a Registered Dental Hygienist, Speech and Language Pathologist, or Dentist who, at a minimum, has taken a 28-hour International Association of Orofacial Myology (IAOM) approved introductory course in orofacial myology and...
Ask yourself….. Do you have any long-term bad habits (lip sucking, finger sucking, nail biting, pacifier, etc)? Is the tip of your tongue on the floor of your mouth, against your front teeth, or between your teeth at rest? Are your lips apart at rest? Are you...
Orofacial myofunctional therapy is also known as oral myology, myofunctional orofacial therapy, myofunctional therapy, oral myofunctional therapy, orofacial Myotherapy, or oromyofunctional therapy. But, tomayto, tomahto. Orofacial myofunctional therapy is the...
With most studies reporting the prevalence of mouth breathing at 50-56%, mouth breathing seems to have been normalized. Mouth Breathing Awareness Month serves a gentle reminder of two things: (1) nasal breathing should be 24/7 and (2) although mouth breathing is...
May is Mouth Breathing Awareness Month, so this post is designed to bring awareness of the issues related to mouth breathing. Starting in infancy, we should be nasal breathers. If you can’t breathe through your nose, your body will resort to the backup breathing...
The certification process is a way to validate that a therapist (with the prerequisite credentials of a RDH, SLP, or DDS/DMD) has the knowledge and skills to identify and treat Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs). As part of the certification process, one must...
Greetings from North Carolina! I attended the 2018 IAOM convention this weekend with my friend, Kristin Good, from Berks Myo Spot, LLC www.berksmyospot.com , and it was well worth really long drive together. We have learned SO MUCH about sleep disordered breathing,...
Have you ever heard of the “deep front line”? It’s the body’s myofascial core, connecting the tongue to the feet. (Check out the video below to learn more.) The body is a series of interconnected hard and soft tissue. It’s no surprise...
