“He was able to sleep a little bit better. We’ve noticed he’s started sleeping through the night quite a bit and we’re excited with the progress he’s made.”
– Brittany M. (parent)
What is it?
We like to think of Myofunctional therapy as physical therapy for your mouth – it’s like taking your face to the gym. It helps with proper tongue placement, tongue positioning, swallowing and chewing.
Form Follows Function
If we have poor mouth function – mouth breathing, reverse swallowing, low tongue posture;
then we will have poor form – crowded teeth, small airways, narrow palate, etc.
Myofunctional therapy is used to treat:
Sleep apnea
Oral dysfunction
Mouth breathing
Sleep disordered breathing
Speech and articulation issues
Irregular chewing and/or swallowing
Bad oral habits (thumb or finger sucking)
Low tongue posture (with possible oral restriction present)
Friday By Appointment
Dr. Loria & Dr. Carla may suggest Myofunctional appliances with Myofunctional therapy to their patients
The basics of Myofunctional therapy are simple:
1. Correct swallow techniques.
2. Proper oral posture with lips together and tongue to the roof of the mouth.
3. Comfortable and easy breathing through the nose.
Dr. Carla & Dr. Loria are both MRC Certified Myofunctional Therapists. For some children, Dr. Carla & Dr. Loria suggest starting with a Myobrace or similar “trainer.” The Myobrace® System is a preventive pre-orthodontic treatment that focuses on addressing the underlying causes of mouth breathing, crooked teeth and narrow airways. The Myobrace appliance is a comfortable, removable intraoral device that is worn for 1-2 hours during the day and at night while sleeping. For kids who need a little bit more help with oral posture and facial development, Dr. Loria & Dr. Carla will suggest simple at home exercises or work with a trained Myofunctional therapist.
Myomunchee
Small Device, Big Impact
In the last hundred years, the western industrialised lifestyle—with its soft foods, reduced nutritional diversity, and rapidly decreasing range of exercise— has essentially removed natural cues for healthy oral development. Chewing, swallowing and movement has been outsourced. Just like any part of the body, the jaw and facial muscles need the right kind of exercise to stay healthy.
The Myomunchee is a chewing device that is designed to help encourage nasal breathing, proper lip seal, tongue posture, and swallowing patterns. This is accomplished by training the tongue to stay on the roof of the mouth. This tongue position is necessary for healthy dental arches, sinus function and unobstructed airways.
In addition to helping strengthen and tone the oral and facial muscles, benefits of the Myomunchee include:
Teeth and gum
health
Pronged design functions like a brush: cleaning, oxygenating and producing saliva
Jaw health and development
Chewing enhances the strength of jaw and mouth muscles to assist in optimal oral health
Lip and tongue
strength
Improves chewing and swallowing patterns triggering natural chewing motions and increasing lip, tongue and facial strength
Promotes nasal breathing
Strengthening muscles helps with lip seal to assist with the benefits of nasal breathing and breathing retraining programs
For more information regarding myofunctional therapy at Beyond Pediatric Dentistry or if you’d like to see if the Myomunchee can help your child please contact us at (972) 808-6825.
Myobrace
Myobrace is the training wheels for myofunctional therapy
Allow your child to reach their genetic potential without braces.
In line with Dr. Carla and Dr. Loria’s whole-body wellness approach to treating your child, the Myobrace® focuses on treating the underlying causes of crooked teeth and poor jaw maturation by unlocking the mouth’s natural ability for growth and development.
Clinical research conducted by Myofunctional Research Co. (MRC) has proven that “crowded teeth, incorrect jaw development and other orthodontic problems are not caused by big teeth in small jaws or other hereditary factors. Mouth breathing, tongue thrusting, reverse swallowing and thumb sucking (known as incorrect myofunctional habits) are the real causes”.
3 Out of 4 Children Have a Malocclusion.
Studies have also shown that early detection and interceptive treatment while the patient is still developing is the best course of action for long term results. Early treatment with the Myobrace appliance can assist in improving the habits that cause crooked teeth, improve facial development, and lessen the need for more intensive orthodontic treatment when the patient is older.
Successful treatment using the Myobrace can help:
Treatment is best suited to children ages 3 to 15 and involves using a series of removable intraoral appliances that are worn for 1-2 hours each day and often overnight while sleeping. Successful treatment using the Myobrace is impacted by a child’s biological ability to change habits, their natural growth patterns, and how early treatment is started. Treatment outcomes are also heavily dependent on your child’s compliance to frequent and proper use of the Myobrace.
How does the Myobrace do this?
The Myobrace helps the child:
Breathe through the nose
Correct tongue resting position
Swallow correctly
Keep the lips together
There are typically four stages of treatment with Myobrace®:
Habit correction, arch development, dental alignment and then retention.
Myobrace is the training wheels for myofunctional therapy
Getting started with the Myobrace is a collaborative process between Dr. Carla or Dr. Loria, the parent(s) and child. In order to obtain the highest rate of success, we take the time needed so you and your child understand the treatment process. During the consultation we will explain the treatment plan in depth after we properly evaluate your child’s teeth, face and posture. We take x-rays when needed. Once the treatment plan has been presented and clearly understood, your child will be presented with their first Myobrace® appliance and regular check-ups will be scheduled.
Beyond Pediatric Dentistry utilizes the Myobrace Activities app in order to engage children and get them excited about their treatment. The better the compliance with wearing the device, the higher the chances of success. Our little patients love to have fun and earn prizes. We love to see their little smiles grow.
Call for a Myobrace consultation today!
Hours
Friday By Appointment
