Orofacial Myology Treatment and Services
We provide non-invasive, evidence-based therapies to correct poor oral (fixation) habits, rehabilitate your orofacial muscular development, direct better growth patterns, and return your orofacial muscle groups to correct functional performance.
Jaw Pain, Facial Tension, and Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD)
TMJ is temporomandibular joint. When a disorder or dysfunction occurs with the TMJ, it is refered to as TMJD/TMD. The temporomandibular joint is the hinge which connects your jaw to the temporal bones allowing you to move your mouth. A TMD can come from injury, grinding, or clenching, or muscle tension from overall stress. Our treatment for TMD is to correct the muscles of the jaw to help with muscle coordination and remission of TMD symptoms. We work in close proximity with dentists and dental specialists in this area to help achieve the best possible results and success in treatment possible for TMJD.
Bruxism (Teeth Grinding)
Bruxism is a condition that involves teeth grinding, gnashing and/or clenching - typically occurring during sleep.
A myofunctional therapist can bring awareness of the habit as well as identify cause.
Anxiety and stress can be contributors but so can an abnormal bite or crooked teeth .
Additionally, nasal breathing issues may be associated with bruxism.
In addition to teeth damage, discomfort, TMJ, and muscle pain, bruxism often is associated with sleep disorders which require specialized treatment and assessment.
Clenching
Clenching can be characterized by tight closing of teeth for prolonged periods of time. When developed as a habit, clenching can cause damage to teeth and develop TMJ (temporomandibular joint) problems that lead to pain and improper chewing.
An orofacial myofunctional therapist can help a patient become aware of how stress can be a contributor to clenching. Strategies can be employed to diminish or completely eliminate clenching habits.
Additionally, we can look for symptoms of disordered nasal breathing which may be an underlying cause.
Mild Sleep Apnea & Snoring
Research is increasingly showing that poor tongue rest posture, and underdevelopment of the orofacial complex as a whole, heavily contributes to the predisposition of an individual to snoring, and/or sleep apnea.
It is important when dealing with children to check whether snoring is indicative of other more serious health problems. When snoring is a problem, we can provide treatment to help patient recovery.
Mild cases may be addressed by repositioning of tongue rest posture and balancing oral and facial muscle rest postures. We can help establish a more functional and open airway and patent nasal passage airway through myofunctional exercises.
Importantly, we work closely with a sleep clinic, associated physicians and an airway integrated dentist along with other physiatrists.
Noxious Habits
Dental and overall development of the oral complex are put highly at risk when these habits are present and persistent. Malocclusion, and the overall health of your facial tissues are put at risk when you have noxious habits such as
Thumb sucking
Lip-biting, and
Deviated/atypical swallowing.
For example, a child can chronically lick their lips which can substantially change the composition of their tongue adversely affecting speech. We work on the habit or the source of the problem and then we may refer to a Speech Language Pathologist.
Pre-op and Post-op Frenotomy Orofacial Surgery
Frenectomy / Frenuloplasty : This is where the bottom of the tongue is cut underneath on the frenulum.
Some babies for example, are born with their tongue pinned down by the frenulum which extends too far forward in the mouth.
We provide therapeutic exercises to prepare for the frenotomy as well as to facilitate stretching and healing post frenotomy to assist in reducing the possibility of reattachment of the frenulum scar tissue.
Tongue Tie
Your tongue is a major part of your face and plays a major role in your mouth and your appearance. A normal tongue is free to move around the mouth while a tongue tie may mean the tongue is restricted in its full potential and capacity to move as it is pinned down by a lingual frenulum.
When treated with Orafacial Myology, the tongue will adopt a normal position and dental-facial development can continue and the patient may reduce the chances of further medical-dental or orthodontic complications.
Drooling
Drooling can become an area for concern especially when you don’t know what’s causing it. If you have a concerns about gagging or choking then orofacial myology may be required to train the mouth to keep saliva in and train proper swallowing.
Tongue Thrusting
A condition where the tongue pushes anterior (forward between the teeth) during swallowing. There are habitual tongue thrusts, functional tongue thrusts, and anatomic tongue thrusts. The seriousness depends on type, intensity, duration, and frequency of tongue thrusting. Our myologists can identify the correct course of action based on a physical examination of the patient
Mouth Breathing
There are many causes of mouth breathing. The important thing to note is that mouth breathing can create problems like excessively dry mouth with more bacteria and bad breath. Children who breathe through their mouth can slow the development of their lower jaw resulting in possible overbites, upper airway infections and inflammation and excessive gums showing in smile.
Open bites and Cross bites
Anterior open bites happen when the mouth is closed and the molars touch but the front teeth remain open with a space. A posterior open bite is also possible with the anterior (front) teeth closing or producing an end to end bite leaving the back teeth of the mouth unable to close, creating a space in the back of the smile. This can be detrimental to overall dental growth and development and be a cause of a possible tongue thrust habit that will need treatment to correct.
There are many causes including hereditary, sucking fingers, improper tongue position, and many more. Our treatment focuses on the muscular behaviour which contributed to the problem and corrects it preventing any further myofunctional complications.
Orthodontics
Whenever there is a change in your mouth it can take some getting used to. This includes before, during, and after receiving orthodontics. Orofacial myology techniques and principles can be used either alone or in combination with other forms of treatment to correctly adapt your muscles to their proper function and keep your mouth healthy throughout your entire orthodontic procedure, reducing the possibilities for relapse of orthodontic treatment, creating more sustainable success with orthodontic treatment all around.
Body Posture
Slouching and poor posture can create problems. Back pain, breathing difficulty, and stress are all related to poor posture.
Research has shown that body posture issues can be related to tongue rest posture. Tongue rest posture can actually impact head posture affecting the centre of gravity between head and body.
For patients, understanding head position is a first step, and combined with myofunctional therapy can help a person become more aware of their posture during chewing and swallowing.
The impact of untreated body posture issues magnify over time, and can lead to significant strain throughout the body and even lead to physiological and anatomical changes.
Myofunctional therapy, through simple exercises and awareness, can help form an improved balance of the muscular groups, improve alignment and reduce strain
Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling)
There have been several cases of “trich” which have been corrected with treatment. In training the muscles of the tongue to rest properly, the compulsive urge dissipates.
Speech Assessment
We may refer patients to a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP). Many of the problems caused by orofacial muscle disorders impede speech. In those cases it may be the SLP that refers you back to a orofacial myologist. That is if they determine a need for physical stretches and exercises to improve speech.
Nail Biting
Usually it starts as a child and continues on through adulthood. The problem can range from mild and occasional to more serious and almost compulsive. It comes down to the level of destruction the patient is inflicting on themselves with nail biting. Are the fingers red and sore with some bleeding or infection? Nail biting can be a self-mutilation like cutting and related behaviours. Biting nails can also damage the mouth and teeth not to mention the bacteria and viruses which can pass from the finger nail beds to the mouth.
Appliance Therapy Integrated Programs
Airway Integrated Dentistry / Sleep Disordered Breathing
Myofunctional therapy is a great start to a lifetime of good oral development and optimizing form and function. Apex Myofunctional works in conjunction with Park Dental Wellness Centre - a team of highly-trained practitioners focusing on oral health ranging from non-surgical and non-pharmaceutical treatments for TMJ related headaches, jaw joint problems, snoring, obstructive sleep apnea and more. Park Dental Wellness is unique in its practice, and is a fully VIVOS integrated Airway Centered clinic that addresses airways and overall development. They are focused on all aspects of dental care, including childhood oral growth guidance to improving airways as well as dental alignment through VIVOS and Myobrace systems.
To learn more visit Park Dental Wellness
Developmental Epigenetic Orthodontics
This Edmonton-based clinic specializes in airway-centered treatments for improvements of overall health. They facilitate corrections of underdevelopments in children and adults with the use of orthopedic appliances and orthodontic brackets. Additionally, they provide solutions for sleep conditions as well as pain associated with temporomandibular joint disease and craniofacial cervical dysfunction. The clinics services also encompasses corrections of facial and tooth aesthetics.
Apex Myofunctional works in conjunction with SANA DENTAL and DISTRICT DENTAL to provide developmental epigenetic orthodontics.
Myobrace Integrated Programs
Myobrace involves an appliance (ie. a pre-fabricated silicone mouth piece) that has generalized myofunctional therapy exercises. A myofunctional therapist will develop an individualized program that improves the effectiveness of the treatment.
Healthy Start Integrated Programs
Healthy Start Integrated Programs uses a simple pre-fabricated appliance that addresses primarily lip rest posture, tongue rest posture and encourages nasal breathing. Myofunctional therapy integrated with the Healthy Start Program is beneficial for the patient in creating a more individualized and effective therapy while wearing the appliance alone. Inquire more with LIV Dental - Dr McCorkkill. Visit their website here.
Temporomandibular Disorders
Address stability of the jaw joints, followed by correcting the proper tongue rest posture, swallowing techniques, lip rest posture as well as bodily postures.
Breathing Wellness Programs
Also known as Advanced Performance Breathing, this program helps with retraining the breathing network and assisting individuals in learning to effectively use their nasal passageways to leverage the body’s natural gas exchange process. Advanced Performance Breathing can improve every day focus, functional breathing and athletic performance.
Ask us about how we can assist High Performance Athletes