Myofunctional Therapy in Frisco, TX
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If your tongue, lips, jaw, or facial muscles are somehow misaligned, myofunctional therapy can help. Millennium Smiles offers this form of therapy to patients in Frisco, TX.
What is myofunctional therapy?
This therapy is the repatterning of tongue, lips, jaw, and facial muscles through a series of specialized exercises and behavior modification techniques.
- What are orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs)?
- Forward head and slouched posture
- Long face
- Mouth/lips open resting posture (mouth breathing)
- Tongue thrusting in speaking/swallowing
- Thumb, finger, tongue, lip-sucking
- Nail-biting or lip-licking
- Restricted frenum
Consequences of OMDs
Without treatment, OMDs can have several effects on an individual, including on the long-term stability of orthodontic treatment, facial growth and development, and development of forward head posture. They can also cause teeth grinding/clenching, gum disease, and frequent headaches and migraines. They can lead to temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs) and are related to sleep breathing disorders (SBD).
Who does myofunctional therapy help?
Myofunctional therapy can benefit many patients in Frisco, TX, including those undergoing TMD treatments (90% of TMDs are muscle-related), mouth breathers, and those with facial asymmetry. Patients undergoing orthodontic treatment can also benefit from myofunctional therapy and prevent orthodontic relapse. As the therapy can help with TMDs, it can relieve tooth grinding/clenching. It can also benefit patients who have had nasal surgery or a tonsillectomy; those with allergies, enlarged tonsils, adenoids, or turbinates; and those with ADD/ADHD. Other patients who may benefit from myofunctional therapy include those with bad oral habits (nail biting or thumb sucking, past or present); those who used a sippy cup, pacifier, or bottle for too long; and those with a tongue tie/tongue restriction. It can also aid with pre- and post-op frenectomies, sleep breathing disorders, and post-op orthognathic surgery.
How long does it take?
Myofunctional therapy can be completed in six months to a year, with most appointments taking place in the first two months. Because the therapy works to address the underlying cause of the dysfunctions rather than the symptoms, it has a very high success rate – recent studies confirm a 90% success rate and its stable long-term effectiveness.
To determine whether or not you can benefit from myofunctional therapy in Frisco, TX, make an appointment at Millennium Smiles today.