11416 Slater Avenue Northeast, Ste 100A, Kirkland, Washington 98033, United States
Angela Zappone 206-498-7763
Key Red flags! OMDs, What to Look for
Common Signs and Symptoms Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders
- High narrow palate
- Open bite and/or Overjet of front teeth
- Under developed upper jaw or dentist/hygienist says class III bite or crossbite
- Tongue thrusts forward during speech or swallow.
- Tongue rests in low forward position, lower lip may be rolled out.
- Lips open at rest
- Forward position of the head and neck
- Mouth breathing, dry chapped lips
- Dark circles under eyes
- Lack of energy
- Excessive movement in sleep
- Teeth grinding (jaws moving to try and open airway for oxygen intake)
- TMJ pain, TMD, or popping/clicking of joint
- Lisp or difficulty articulating certain sounds
- Overdeveloped or bunched chin muscle
- Excessive facial movement when swallowing (use of compensatory muscles to swallow, tongue unable to properly do its job)
Infant & Toddler Signs & Symptoms
- Poor latch, difficult painful nursing, clicking noise at feedings, gagging, fussy, falls asleep frequently, feeds frequently & seems to take forever but soon wants to feed again at breast.
- Colic, tummy discomfort and extension, reflux and gagging
- Open mouth posture, sinus congestion, chapped, red lips & tongue visible on low lip at rest
- Torticollis (tilted head)
- Difficult transitioning to solids, picky eating & extended use of tippy cup
- difficult articulating sounds or late speech
- Failure to thrive, often tired or listless, distracted
Crucial Myo Barriers must be treated for success!
Depending on the Orofacial Myofunctional disorders present, Multiple specialist may be involved in the treatment; ENTs, Dentists, Hygienists, Orthodontists, Pediatricians, and Speech Language Pathologist may all be working together. The underlying reasons an OMD developed MUST be addressed for orofacial myofunctional therapy or orthodontics to be successful.
The inability to breathe through the nose is a KEY factor in the cause of OMDs. Chronic mouth breathing causes the tongue position to be low and forward, and not in ideal resting posture up on the palate. Mouth breathing can change the normal growth and development of the orofacial complex, because the tongue, lips, and jaw can not sit in their ideal resting position and help guide growth and development. Not only does breathing through the nose clean and filter the air, it delivers critical nitric oxide to the blood and body, helping to dilate vessels & supplying quality oxygen.
A tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) that functionally restricts movement and prohibits ideal tongue resting position. The tongue is integral for correct eating, drinking, speaking, and swallow. When the tongue is tied down to the floor of the mouth by a string of tissue it's movement and function is restricted. A tethered tongue is unable to properly gather food and liquid and suction-swallow, so other muscles of the jaw, face, head and neck will compensate, causing muscle tension, strain and orofacial myofunctional disorders.
Habits like thumb/digit sucking, extended use of pacifier & tippy cup, chewing on clothes, pens, blankets etc. also need to be addressed since they can also affect orofacial growth and development.
Life Changing for One young Man
Finding Connor Deegan is one of the most eye-opening stories demonstrating the potential detrimental effects of orofacial myofunctional disorders and airway issues. It's the story of a boy struggling to cope with many social and behavioral challenges. His family could not find any answers until someone looked at Connors challenges through a different lens and addressed ALL the underlying factors.