What is Orofacial Myology?
Orofacial Myology is the study of oral and facial muscles as they relate to dentition (the development of teeth and their arrangement in the mouth), chewing, swallowing and overall health.
Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMD) are abnormal patterns of the mouth and face that may interfere with growth and development of facial muscles. OMDs may also interfere with how the muscles are used for talking, eating and breathing.
Signs and Symptoms of OMDs
Mouth breathing instead of breathing through the nose, during the day or night, with potential drooling past the toddler years.
Speech concerns, typically anterior or lateral lisp of /s, z, sh/ and underdeveloped /r/ that are not resolved with conservative speech therapy.
Tongue thrust swallowing behavior when the tongue rests or pushes forward towards the teeth or laterally towards the sides of the mouth.
"Picky" or self-restrictive eating, difficulty managing chewy or tougher foods, gagging, choking, or vomiting on certain foods.
Dental issues including crowding, high, narrow palate, misaligned bite, multiple cavities. Braces are common but are not normal!
Restless sleep, snoring, teeth grinding, excessive sweating, awkward sleeping positions, tired in the morning.
Postural differences may include head tilting, head protrusion, slouching, with possible tightness in neck, shoulders, or back
Noxious behaviors at any age can include thumb sucking, finger sucking, extended pacifier, bottle or sippy cup use, nail biting, mouthing objects past toddler year.
About us
Focus Speech & Myo, LLC is a privately-owned outpatient practice that evaluates and treats each patient to identify specific needs that will benefit their quality of life. Contact us to see if we accept your medical insurance.
Serving Montgomery and Berks Counties
Phone: 484-369-9668
Email: jessica@focusspeechmyo.com