11416 Slater Avenue Northeast, Ste 100A, Kirkland, Washington 98033, United States
Angela Zappone 206-498-7763
Hello! please call 206-498-7763 for questions or to schedule
Optimizing Orofacial Muscles & Structure
Dental Hygienist, Myofunctional Therapist, Craniosacral Therapist, Doula & Nutrition Counselor. 30+ yrs of experience! Being both a Craniosacral & Myofunctional Therapist allows Angie to comprehensively treat Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders & TMJ dysfunction, using specialized exercises and fascial tension release.
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 mouth, 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 muscle patterns, strain, and dysfunctions in the muscles of the face, jaw and throat can develop, we call these Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs). OMDs can significantly interfere with normal function, and the growth and development of the mouth, jaws, face, lips, tongue and airway.
The inability to properly breathe through the nose is the most common cause 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 to aid in guiding & stimulating growth of the upper jaw and airway! Another significant factor in OMDs is a tongue tie that restricts ideal tongue resting position, movement & function. Other common contributors are habits such as thumb sucking, pacifier and tippy cup use, genetics, and more..
Myofunctional therapy helps correct these bad habits and 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. .
The location of your tongue at rest and proper nasal breathing help guide the growth of the jaws, airway and facial development. Addressing ideal lip seal, tongue resting posture, correct swallow pattern and proper nasal breathing is the core of orofacial myofunctional therapy, along with addressing habits that may be contributing. Helping to eliminate the dysfunctional patterns & habits that have developed and retrain and re-habituate the new healthier orofacial patterns is what its all about!
As a dental hygienist, craniosacral and myofunctional therapist, Angie identifies these abnormal muscle strain & bite patterns and uses a combination of myofunctional therapy exercises & craniosacral release to relieve strain, and strengthen, balance and optimize the muscles of the tongue, cheeks, face and throat, to help normalize mouth/tongue resting position, swallow, and breath. Angie also evaluates unusual muscle strain patterns of the orofacial complex and gently releases facial tensions using craniosacral therapy to help ease TMJ, muscle and fascia strain and tensions of the head, face and neck. Angie is often working with other specialist to help optimize orofacial health and breathing and has a great team of specialists, such as ENTs, Sleep specialist, Dentists & orthodontists, Physical Therapist, and others she refers to.. .
Often muscle strain of the head, neck and shoulders and TMJ dysfunction and pain can occur with OMDs. A key outward sign of OMDs and restrictive tongue tie is actually a head-forward muscle strain pattern! Craniosacral Therapy as an adjunctive therapy to myofunction sessions can greatly help abnormal tension patterns to relax and release, often helping alleviate tensions and pain. Angie offers both modalities included in her myofunctonal therapy appointments!
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 (OMDs)
The tongue and all the muscles of the orofacial complex must be working correctly together to eat, drink, swallow and even breathe correctly. If they are not, bad habits and muscle tensions develop that can affect function, comfort, physical appearance, airway and ideal breathing, growth and development.
The adverse effects of OMDs can be wide ranging and 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.
Not addressing orofacial myofunctional disorders can also adversely influence the outcome of orthodontic treatment. The incorrect positioning of tongue at rest, and other OMDs are likely a huge contributing factor to dental development, alignment of teeth and malocclusion in the first place, so these causative factors are important to address with myofunctional therapy and breath training. Unfortunately medical, dental and dental hygiene schools still do not address orofacial myofunctional disorders and the influence on malocclusion, airway, feeding, TMJ dysfunction and dental/orofacial development, so they often get missed. Fortunately 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. I actually work with two Physical Therapist that specialize in the sacrum and pelvic floor. They frequently refer clients to me for craniosacral therapy to address TMJ/Jaw tension that's causing pain & discomfort related to the connection of the jaw-spine-pelvis! Speech and articulation issues often occur, which can affect communication and self-confidence.
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!
Possible Causes of Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders
- Inability to breathe through 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!
- Tongue Tie and significant Lip Tie
- Oral habits (thumb/finger/blanket sucking, nail biting, lip sucking/chewing etc).
- Extended use tippy cup and pacifier
- Genetic Predisposition: Structural and Nutrient methylation challenges (more to come on vitamin deficiency related to genes & skeletal formation)
- Neurological and Developmental Disorders
Your Integrative Orofacial Myfunctional therapist
The Importance of Treating Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs)
Your Integrative Orofacial Myfunctional therapist
Angie brings 30 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, orofacial structure and 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 4 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/orthodontists, Chiropractors, PTs and even sacrum and pelvic floor specialists she refers to if needed (problems in the jaw often correlate with issues in the sacrum/pelvic region-they are directly connected by fascia). 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
$150.00
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 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