Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders and Myofunctional Therapy

I am excited to be taking courses on orofacial myofunctional disorders and myofunctional therapy at LVI the first week of February. The first course addresses issues with improper tongue posture and swallowing. The tongue plays a huge role in sleep apnea, snoring, TMJ pain, orthodontic relapses, open bite, speech, posture and swallowing to name a few. Treating orofacial myofunctional disorders are critical to the successful treatment of many dental issues. 

I hope to be able to incorporate myofunctional therapy into my treatments immediately.  It seems like I am seeing more and more open bite orthodontic cases as a result of a tongue thrust or tongue posture. These cases are often a result of orthodontic relapse due to the forces of the tongue.  This means that these people coming to see us have previously had braces as a child, yet their teeth have shifted and opened up in the front of their mouth due to the forces from the tongue despite retainer wear.  These people often come to us frustrated and looking for a solution.  This course will help us understand how to provide these people with a variety of better long term solutions. 

In order to be truly successful at a long range of solutions for these patients, the tongue must work in harmony with the muscles of the face, mouth, and throat. It is our responsibility as dentists to recognize myofunctional disorders from newborns to adults.  Incorporating myofunctional therapy can correct problems during growth and development and help us fix problems that have existed for many years.

 

 

 Michael Adler DDS

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Tuesday: 8 AM – 12 PM and 1 PM – 5 PM
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