11416 Slater Avenue Northeast, Ste 100A, Kirkland, Washington 98033, United States
Angela Zappone 206-498-7763
Hello! Please call 206-498-7763 to schedule
Myofunctional Therapist: Comprehensive Care with Compassion
Specializing in tongue-ties & orofacial myofunctional therapy, post-partum doula & lactation support. Angie has 35 years in healthcare. She addresses orofacial myofunctional disorders & fascial tension uniquely & comprehensively. She's currently pursuing her IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant).
Myofunctional Therapy
What is Myofunctional Therapy? How can it help me?
The Importance of Treating Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs)
The Importance of Treating Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs)
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy is highly specialized exercise therapy for the lips, tongue, face, throat and jaws (or orofacial complex). The goal is to help the orofacial muscles and tongue to optimally function together. Correct swallow is dependent upon the lips, tongue, throat, and facial muscles working in concert to gather food and properly suction, sweep, and swallow.
Improper orofacial muscle patterns, strain, and dysfunctions can develop. These are called Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs). OMDs can significantly interfere with normal function, growth and development of the orofacial complex and airway. Tensions in the fascia and muscles can have a direct influence on jaw growth and development!
Adverse fascial and muscle tension can occur for a number of reasons. One of the primary factors in normal orofacial growth and development is the tongue resting in its proper position up on the roof of the mouth. The tongue acts as a guide for jaw growth, helping jaws to expand and grow adequately when it is resting on the palate. Two of the most common causes of a tongue that rests improperly and sits low and forward are chronic mouth breathing and ankyloglossia or a tongue-tie
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The inability to properly breathe through the nose is one the most common causes of orofacial myofunctional disorders and can affect the development of the jaws, face and airway itself! Mouth open breathing posture does not allow for the tongue to correctly rest up on the palate so that it can aid in guiding growth of the upper jaw and airway!
Another significant factor in OMDs is a tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) that restricts ideal tongue resting position, movement & function. The roof of the mouth or palate is actually the base of the sinuses. Proper tongue resting position is critical to help guide the growth and development of the airway and entire orofacial complex. If the tongue is restricted and resting low it cannot properly help with growth and development of the jaws and airway! The tongue is also integral in correct eating, drinking and swallow. When the tongue is unable to properly gather food and liquid and suction-swallow, other muscles of the jaw, face, and neck get inappropriately engaged, which can causes muscle tension, strain and pain and effect the development of the orofacial complex.
Other common contributors to OMDs are habits such as thumb sucking, extended pacifier and tippy cup use, nail biting and genetics influences.
Myofunctional therapy helps correct these bad habits and addresses the incorrect muscle patterns that have developed to compensate when OMDs are present. We use specific exercises and neuromuscular re-training to teach the tongue, lips and orofacial muscles to properly function in rest and during breath and swallow. It is like Physical Therapy for the orofacial complex. The location of your tongue at rest and proper nasal breathing are critical in helping guide the growth of the jaws, airway and facial development.
Goals of Myofunctional Therapy: Addressing ideal lip seal, tongue resting posture, correct swallow pattern and proper nasal breathing are a core part of orofacial myofunctional therapy, as well as addressing habits that may be contributing to the dysfunctions.
As a dental hygienist, doula, myofunctional therapist, certified craniosacral therapist and certified lactation educator, Angie has an incredibly integrative and holistic perspective as she identifies these abnormal muscle strain & bite patterns and designs an individual program of myofunctional therapy exercises to tone, coordinate, strengthen, and optimize the muscles of the tongue, cheeks, face, lips, and throat.
Doula/Lactation Educator: Angie also works with infants and new families for post-partum support. Additionally, she specializes in evaluating and supporting moms with latching and feeding challenges. She has a balanced perspective on ankyloglossia. The primary factor in evaluating ankyloglossia is how much does the tongue-tie actually affect tongue resting position and tongue function.
With 35 years in dental hygiene, and as an orofacial myofunctional therapist, Angie has an immense amount of expertise in the anatomy and function of the orofacial complex and the tongue's role in airway and orofacial development. As a mom with 25 years experience in the birthing community, both as a birth and post-partum doula, as well as 7 years working in a pediatric office, Angie understands the importance of bonding with your newborn and the reticence to put your precious child through a procedure unless it is absolutely necessary. The location of the insertion of the tongue-tie, the length and the texture of the frenum are all important factors in deciding how much it influences feeding and function.
Craniosacral Therapist: A key outward sign of OMDs and restrictive tongue-tie is a head-forward, muscle strain pattern, with neck, shoulder and TMJ tension. Angie has 7 years of experience working with physicians in a Pediatric office addressing such muscle strains and tensions. Angie is also a certified nutrition counselor and lectured on the role of diet on inflammation and general health. She understands the health of the mouth and the orofacial structures are a part of the entire body as a whole. She has an amazing group of massage therapist, craniosacral therapist, dentist, orthodontists and airway specialist, and body workers she collaborates with and refers to. It often takes a team to address and treat OMDs.
Craniosacral Therapy as an adjunctive therapy to myofunction sessions is often recommended in the airway and myofunctional community. It can greatly help abnormal tension patterns to relax and release in a gentle, non-invasive manner. 3 free Craniosacral visits are gifted in her full myofunctional therapy program.
The Importance of Treating Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs)
The Importance of Treating Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs)
The Importance of Treating Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs)
The Impact of Orofacial myofunctional Disorders
The tongue and all the muscles of the orofacial complex must be working properly together to eat, drink, swallow and even breathe correctly. If they are not, bad habits and muscle tensions develop that can affect function, growth and development, comfort, physical appearance, airway and ideal breathing, .
The adverse effects of OMDs can be wide ranging OMDs may significantly disrupt normal skeletal development of the face, jaws, and airway. OMDs may lead to problems with breathing and quality oxygen intake, focus, and concentration, latching and breast feeding, chewing, swallowing, nutrition, digestion, jaw and teeth alignment, TMJ pain and dysfunction, periodontal disease, and facial aesthetics and normal speech.
Not addressing orofacial myofunctional disorders can adversely influence the outcome of orthodontic treatment. The incorrect positioning of the tongue at rest, abnormal muscle tensions and other OMDs are likely a significant contributing factor to dental development, and malocclusion. Diagnosing and addressing these critical contributing factors are important to achieve the best orthodontic outcome possible. Myofunctional therapy does just that! We thoroughly examine orofacial form and function and address the issues to retrain the unhealthy patterns likely contributing to the malocclusion. Unfortunately medical, dental and dental hygiene schools still barely address orofacial myofunctional disorders and their influence on malocclusion, airway, feeding, TMJ dysfunction and dental/orofacial development, so they often get missed. Thankfully, this is changing as more research in the field becomes available.
Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders affect more than just the head and neck. There is a solid correlation between OMDs and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) in kids and adults, as well as chronic exhaustion, ADD/ADHD, digestive issues, forward head and neck posture, and tensions in the shoulders, head and neck that can potentially affect the entire spine & pelvis.
Sleep issues can cause significant health issues. Underdeveloped jaws and airway can be a cause of sleep apnea. Remember the roof of the mouth or palate is also the base of the sinuses!!! The airway is part of the orofacial structure. If you suspect you or your child has sleep issues, it is important to get them into an airway educated doctor, or dentists or ENT asap to be evaluated. We often let chronic sinus congestion or snoring in children go untreated, but chronic mouth breathing is a significant contributor to sleep issues and orofacial myofunctional disorders, and can influence how the jaw and teeth grow and develop.
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy has been shown in literature to improve oxygen levels in mild to moderate Obstructive Sleep Apnea. It was shown to decrease the "apnea-hypopnea" (measurement of severity of obstructive sleep apnea) by 50% in adults and 62% in children!
Some Causes of Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders
Your Integrative Orofacial Myfunctional therapist
Your Integrative Orofacial Myfunctional therapist
- Mouth Breathing and Inability to Breathe Through the Nose!!! (allergies, enlarged adenoids or tonsils, nasal structural issues) This leads to open mouth breathing and the tongue is no longer resting up on the palate to stimulate & guide growth and development of the upper jaw and airway!
- Ankyloglossia/Frenum or Tongue-Tie (and Lip-Tie) a small band of tissue that extends from floor of mouth to the underside of the tongue. Please have evaluated by an orofacial myofunctional therapist or an airway-educated dentist or orthodontist. These often get missed unless there is a severe speech or breast-feeding issue. How much the tongue-tie restricts movement and function is the most important factor. If the tongue cannot perform it's normal functions in eating and suction-swallow, OMDs will develop. Most importantly, if the tongue is not sitting in proper resting position up on the palate, it can significantly influence proper growth and development of the orofacial structures.
- Oral habits (thumb, finger, blanket sucking, nail biting, lip sucking or chewing etc).
- Extended use of pacifier! Between birth and 6 months babies have an innate need to suckle. Save pacifier use for when most needed to calm baby. At 6 months begin weaning baby off and only using when baby is most grumpy. Take it out after he/she falls asleep so not suckling all night. Around 6 months baby begins their oral exploration phase, mouthing different shapes and textures to aid in feeding and speech development.
- Frequent use of Tippy Cup! Developed as a convenience for parents tired of cleaning up spills and not for growth and development. A tippy cup's hard spout forces the tongue in a low position rather than rising up to "spot" in a correct swallow. This can influence speech sounds (esp "s" "t" "d" "n" and proper orofacial growth and development! Talk with your pediatrician about transitioning to a straw or leak proof cup with a recessed lid rather than a tippy cup!
- Genetic Predisposition: Structural related and Nutrient methylation challenges
- Neurological disorders
- Developmental Delay
Your Integrative Orofacial Myfunctional therapist
Your Integrative Orofacial Myfunctional therapist
Your Integrative Orofacial Myfunctional therapist
Angie brings 33 plus years of healthcare experience, and her unique perspective from the dental, myofunctional, pediatric, craniosacral, child birth, research, and nutrition professions to each and every appointment. She has experienced OMDs and airway issues with her own family, and worked with challenging cases in each of her fields. As a dental hygienist, orofacial myofunctional therapist and craniosacral therapist, she understands how the fascia in the orofacial complex interconnects with the body as a whole, and the importance of looking at the entire picture when evaluating orofacial myofunctional disorders and their effects on the head, mouth & neck, as well as other areas influenced by interconnected fascia. Angie also evaluates each clients breathing patterns, looking for correct nasal breathing and abdominal breath. She has been doing breath-work in meditation for 25 years, and is ecstatic to finally see medical research coming out on the importance of nose breathing to overall health and brain function!
Angie integrates all of her unique specialties into her orofacial myofunctional therapy appointments. She thoroughly investigate the individual's Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder, and evaluates habits, nasal breathing function, tongue, bite and dental alignment, and orofacial structures along with other issues contributing to the dysfunction. She then designs a personalized treatment plan to retrain and re-educate the muscles and neuromuscular communication of the orofacial complex. Because she develops a personalized plan, she does not give a timeline until after the initial evaluation. She has clients who only need a few visits, and those who may take 6 -12 months. At least Twice daily home practice is recommended for the best results! The goal is to establish new healthy patterns, which over time become the norm.
Angie looks at each of her clients holistically and integrates craniosacral therapy into her myofunctional sessions. When orofacial myofunctional disorders are present, proper swallowing and breathing patterns are difficult. Other muscles will compensate to help in swallowing and breathing, often creating adverse tensions in the fascia, TMJ, and muscle strain. Fascia is basically a large sheet covering & connecting the body, so tension in one area can have deleterious effects in other areas. This is particularly true when a significant frenum or tongue tie is present.
Craniosacral therapy is usually recommended by airway-educated dentists and myofunctional therapist. The release of adverse fascial and muscle tensions helps with neuromuscular reeducation, relaxation, fluidity and detoxification, TMJ tensions, and general relief of the head and neck. Angie feels craniosacral therapy can significantly enhances myofunctional therapy's success, so she includes 3 free craniosacral visits in her myofunctional program, saving you time and money.
Oral habits such as thumb sucking, pen or blanket chewing and atypical breathing patterns and eating patterns must also be evaluated. Angie has a team of ENTs, Airway Centric Dentists and Orthodontists, Chiropractors, PTs and even sacrum and pelvic floor specialists she refers to if needed. She loves the collaboration and gladly works with your other healthcare providers to help you achieve the best results!
Come2Balance Myo Menu
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy
Total Therapy Cost Vary Based On the Severity and Complexity Of The Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders and Duration of Treatment. 6-12 month is average, visits recommended. Initially few visits - weekly. But then twice a month.
Initial Orofacial myofunctional Evaluation. A comprehensive 90 min exam
$125.00
Comlete myo tx program duration avg 4-12 mo. time & cost to be determined
cost varies. depending on client needs & treatment duration
Limited Myo Therapy - Tongue-Tie Release
Limited therapy to prepare for tongue-tie release (Frenectomy)
Average 4 Myo sessions before frenectomy & 2 free Craniosacral included
AVG $500 total
Myo is critical to train the tongue before release so doesn't block airway
This website and the information therein is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any medical condition or disease, it is for information only. We recommend before pursuing any healthcare therapy or treatment that you seek the advice of your primary licensed health care provider.
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Come2Balance LLC
11416 Slater Avenue Northeast, Kirkland, Washington 98033, United States