How Effective is Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy?

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy has helped literally thousands of individuals, in dozens of countries, for over 30 years. Numerous studies have demonstrated its effectiveness including a recent study done by Hahn &Hahn (1992), which revealed that treatment for orofacial myofunctional disorders can be 80-90% effective in correcting swallowing and rest posture function and that these corrections are retained years after completing therapy. Numerous studies have also demonstrated the efficacy of orofacial myofunctional therapy in facilitating speech therapy.

There are many factors that contribute to the success of the therapy program. It is truly a team effort. Effective communication and cooperation between therapist and the dental and medical communities is essential. In addition, successful orofacial myofunctional therapy depends on the patient's desire, dedicated cooperation and self-discipline to follow-through with therapy assignments. Parental involvement and encouragement are also important and necessary for children undergoing therapy to ensure optimum results.

At What Age Can Therapy Begin?

There are several factors to consider before orofacial myofunctional therapy can begin. Most important is the patient's motivation to work with the therapist to succeed. Seeing an Orofacial Myologist early can reduce or minimize the structural damage and possibly reduce some speech articulation (pronunciation) problems.

​Children as young as four can benefit from an in-office evaluation to determine if there are some causative factors that require early intervention to promote normal development. Age five, when intellectual and emotional skills are adequately developed, is an ideal age to begin treatment to help children discontinue thumb or finger sucking habits. 

With early elimination of these habits, there is often spontaneous improvement and/or corrections of speech and OMD problems. Children of seven or eight years of age are often mature enough to receive complete training. Teenagers and adults can of course also benefit from Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy.

What causes an orofacial myofunctional disorder?

There can be numerous causes for orofacial myofunctional disorder. Usually theres a combination of factors that may include:

• An airway restriction from enlarged tonsils or adenoids, allergies or anatomical deviations involving the nasal cavity or pharynx.
• Improper oral habits such as thumb or finger sucking, cheek or nail biting, teeth clenching or grinding.
• Neurological and sensori-neural developmental delays or abnormalities.
• Structural or physiological abnormalities such as short lingual frenum (tongue-tie).
• Hereditary predisposition to any of the above factors.

Why be concerned?

Orofacial myofunctional disorders can have a negative effect on the growth and development of the teeth. Dental eruption patterns and dental alignment can be disrupted. Speech articulation patterns may become distorted. The temporomandibular joint apparatus can become impaired or damaged from abnormal oral functional patterns. Orofacial myofunctional therapy may be recommended for a variety of reasons for children and adults.  ​

The elimination of tongue thrusting and lip incompetence can even have a positive effect on cosmetic appearance. If the patient has orthodontic appliances in place or has completed orthodontic treatment, correcting the myofunctional disorder can help to stabilize the orthodontic result by creating a more desirable and healthy oral environment.

How Long Does Treatment Take?

The best results are obtained when the exercises are done daily. Therapy generally lasts between 4 and 12 months.  The program can be modified to fit your schedule.  Appointments range from weekly to monthly.

How Prevalent Are Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders?

Recent research examining various populations found 38% to have orofacial myofunctional disorders and an incidence of 81% has been found in children exhibiting speech/articulation problems. (Kellum,1992;Maul et.al.1999).