What Are Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders?
Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs) are muscle imbalances involving the oral and facial muscles. When these muscles are not working together as they should, they can disrupt speech, dentition, chewing, swallowing, and overall emotional and physical well-being.
The Breathing Connection & Underlying Causes
The foundation of normal oral development is continuous, low-effort nasal breathing. When nasal passages are restricted, open-mouth breathing takes over, forcing the tongue down into an improper resting position. OMDs are often caused or worsened by:
Airway blockages (e.g., enlarged adenoids, enlarged tonsils, allergies)
Physical restrictions (e.g., tongue-ties, high/narrow palates)
Oral habits (e.g., thumb sucking, finger sucking, pacifier use, nail biting)
How OMDs Affect Daily Function
Improper Swallowing (Tongue Thrust): An individual swallows around 500 to 1,000 times a day. In a functional swallow, the tongue pushes firmly against the roof of the mouth. In an improper swallow (often called a tongue thrust), the tongue pushes forward or sideways against the teeth. Over time, this continuous pressure can push teeth out of alignment, prevent adult teeth from coming in properly, or undo orthodontic treatment.
Speech Sound Difficulties: When the tongue rests low or forward in the mouth, producing clear speech sounds becomes difficult, often leading to lisps or persistent trouble with sounds like /r/.
Secondary Strain: Disordered muscle patterns can also contribute to TMJ jaw discomfort, tension headaches, or poor sleep quality.
The Therapy Process
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) provides tailored exercises designed to retrain oral and facial muscles. Therapy is non-invasive, structured, and progressive. Because new habits are being established, long-term success relies on consistent daily practice and strong home commitment.
Multidisciplinary Care
Resolving an OMD requires looking at the whole picture. As such, care involves closely partnering with ENTs, dentists, orthodontists, and physicians to address structural and airway barriers and provide every patient with a comprehensive, root-cause treatment plan to ensure lasting results.
Habit Elimination Programs
Persistent oral habits like thumb or finger sucking, extended pacifier use, and nail biting can impact tongue posture and contribute to oral and facial muscle imbalances. Structured habit-elimination programs based on Sandra Holtzman's protocols are provided to help individuals successfully break these habits without shame or appliance therapy.
To inquire about starting a habit-elimination program through TRB Speech and Language Services, get in touch today to get started!
