Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) is a exercise based program that focuses on correcting the dysfunctions, poor habits, and improper patterns of muscle activity around the face, mouth, and throat to establish proper oral resting posture.

Establishing proper oral resting posture can address many orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs) and help promote:

• dominate nasal breathing

• lip seal

• palatal tongue rest position

• an optimal swallowing pattern

• proper chewing and drinking

• elimination of dysfunctional habits

An orofacial myofunctional disorder (OMD) is a condition that affects the muscles and functions of the mouth, face, and throat. Individuals with OMD may have difficulty with breathing, chewing, swallowing, speech, and facial development. OMD is often caused by improper muscle function and habits, such as mouth breathing, tongue thrusting, and incorrect swallow patterns.

Common symptoms of OMD include:

• Open mouth posture

• Tongue thrusting

• Poor lip seal

• Nasal breathing difficulty

• Speech problems

• Chewing and swallowing difficulties

• Orthodontic problems/relapse

• Facial pain and tension

• Headaches

Health issues (past or present) that may be related to poor oral muscle patterns:

• Tongue-tie/lip tie

• Tongue thrust

• Snoring

• History of orthodontics

• Inability to masticate food properly, open mouth chewing

• Difficulty with speech

• Periodontal Disease

• Forward Head and Neck Posture

• High narrow palate

• Clenching and grinding, TMJ disorders (jaw pain)

• ADHD

• Frequent congestion

• Asthma

• Anxiety

• Incorrect swallowing may be linked to GERD

• Lack of Lip seal/mouthbreathing

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) or other sleep disordered breathing conditions

• Low tongue posture (tongue rests in the floor of the mouth rather than up on the roof of the mouth)

• Noxious Oral Habits (thumb/finger sucking, nail biting, prolonged pacifier)

OMD can impact overall health and wellbeing by contributing to sleep-disordered breathing, dental problems, and facial development issues.

Treatment for OMD typically involves myofunctional therapy, which focuses on improving muscle function and habits through exercises and behavioral changes. A qualified myofunctional therapist can help individuals identify and address any OMD issues to promote optimal health and wellbeing.

OMT can benefit a wide range of people, at any age, including those with:

• speech difficulties or articulation problems

• poor oral posture or habits such as mouth breathing and tongue thrusting

• temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders or jaw pain

• clenching and grinding

• sleep disordered breathing, such as sleep apnea or snoring

• orthodontic treatment (to improve results and prevent relapse)

• frequent headaches

• forward head and neck posture

• tongue-tie/lip-tie

• inability to masticate food or swallow properly; chews with mouth open

• periodontal disease

• high narrow palate

• anxiety

• ADHD

• frequent congestion

• asthma

• noxious oral habits (thumb/finger sucking, nail biting, prolonged pacifier)

It's important to note that myofunctional therapy is not a one-size-fits-all approach and may not be appropriate for everyone.

The difficulty of OMT can vary depending on the individual and the specific issues being addressed. In general, it can take some time and effort to correct muscle habits and patterns, but most people find the therapy to be manageable and worth the effort.

Myofunctional therapy typically involves exercises and activities that target specific muscles in the face, mouth, and throat. These exercises can be simple and straightforward, or they can be more complex and challenging, depending on the individual's needs.

It's important to work with a qualified provider who can establish a customized exercise program to help make the therapy as easy and effective as possible. Regular practice and dedication to the therapy can lead to improvement and positive changes in oral and facial muscle function.

Your results will depend on your dedication and commitment as this is a compliance based program.

Consultation
A one-on-one virtual consultation to discuss concerns related to orofacial muscle function, breathing, and habits. This session includes an overview of potential therapy options, an optional screening for potential dysfunction, and guidance on the next steps for personalized treatment. If you choose to move forward with our services, we will apply the $50 consultation fee towards your evaluation session.

30 mins | $50

Comprehensive Evaluation
A virtual comprehensive assessment of the muscles around your face and mouth, including a detailed examination of breathing, chewing, swallowing, and tongue posture. I will mail you a packet of everything you need and guide you through taking the initial records that will set the foundation for your customized myofunctional therapy program.

90 mins | $200

Customized Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy Session
An individualized therapy session focusing on exercises and techniques to improve the function and coordination of orofacial muscles. Each session addresses goals such as improving breathing, swallowing, tongue posture, and correcting oral habits as part of the customized treatment plan.

A Comprehensive Evaluation must be completed prior to scheduling your Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy session(s). On average, programs can vary anywhere from 10-22 weeks with biweekly sessions.

30 -45 mins | $150 *per appointment

The Tongue & Body Connection operates as a private pay practice, meaning we do not directly bill insurance companies for OMT services.

Clients are responsible for all fees associated with their therapy and must pay in full.

If applicable, clients may inquire about payment plan options for therapy packages. Payment plans must be agreed upon in writing and honored according to the terms specified.

Orofacial myofunctional therapy services are not assigned Current Dental Terminology (CDT) codes by The Tongue & Body Connection.

Because of the nature of OMT services, they are typically not covered by dental insurance plans. For this reason, we do not provide CDT codes for the purpose of insurance reimbursement.

Clients may choose to submit a claim to their medical or dental insurance independently, but we do not provide documentation for this, nor can we assist with insurance billing or coding.

The initial consultation is a 30 minute virtual appointment with Heather to discuss your questions and to determine if myofunctional therapy is right for you. ​

The comprehensive evaluation is a 90 minute appointment used to gather all the necessary information to create your customized myofunctional therapy program. Heather will meet with you to:

• review your health history, sleep history, dental history, habit history, etc to help determine the root cause of dysfunction

• guide you through taking photos of your face and mouth for initial records

• observe function and dysfunction by having you complete simple baseline exercises

Heather will provide you will a supply kit prior to the evaluation as well as a written report of the evaluation within the following week (if requested).

We will work together every 1-2 weeks via virtual appointments to review exercises and continue to evaluate your progress of establishing proper oral rest posture. On average, programs can vary anywhere from 10-22 weeks with biweekly sessions.

Each coaching appointment will last approximately 30-45 minutes.

I strive to keep each appointment engaging and fun, but I also want to motivate and challenge you.

The results will be totally dependent on the amount of effort you put in between your appointments.