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 latching and difficulty nursing
- Colic, Gerd and gagging
- Open mouth posture, 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
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 ability to breathe correctly through the nose is critical to successful myofunctional therapy. If a person is unable to nose breath, you can try and retrain the musculature or correct dental malocclusion, BUT the habits which have formed to compensate for the inability to nose breathe, will continue to effect oral resting posture and tongue placement.
The inability to breathe through the nose is a KEY factor in the cause of OMDs. Chronic mouth breathing changes the normal growth and development of the orofacial complex, because the tongue, lips, and jaw can not sit in their natural 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..
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. 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.