What is an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy Charlottesville Virginia
"How you breath as a child affects the way you look for the rest of your life”
— Patrick McKeown
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What is an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder
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Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy in Charlottesville, VA
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy in Charlottesville, VA
Breathe better. Swallow easier. Smile more. At OMT Charlottesville, we retrain the muscles of the face, tongue, and jaw to restore healthy function and long-term facial balance—backed by interdisciplinary, evidence-informed care.
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What is an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder (OMD)?

An orofacial myofunctional disorder occurs when an abnormal lip, jaw, or tongue position is present during rest, swallowing, or speech. Problems that result from OMDs may include pain in the face and neck, poor sleep due to breathing difficulties, or ongoing issues after dental surgery or orthodontic work.

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The Causes

Signs & Symptoms

Explain Therapy

The Benefits

Who Can Benefit?

Common Signs & Symptoms

  • Mouth breathing or open-mouth posture
  • Tongue thrust during swallow; low tongue rest
  • Orthodontic relapse, open bite, or overjet
  • Speech sound distortions (e.g., lisp)
  • Prolonged chewing or swallowing difficulty
  • Snoring or mild sleep-disordered breathing
  • Facial muscle fatigue; jaw/TMJ discomfort
If several of these sound familiar, schedule an evaluation. Early care can improve outcomes.

Who Benefits From OMT?

  • Children with mouth breathing, tongue thrust, or orthodontic relapse
  • Teens/adults in or after orthodontic care seeking stability
  • People with snoring or mild sleep-disordered breathing
  • Patients post-frenectomy (tongue-tie release) needing retraining
  • Individuals with inefficient chewing, atypical swallow, or speech issues
  • Those with facial muscle fatigue or jaw discomfort

Results depend on consistency and a tailored plan – At OMT Charlotteville your plan is always one of evidence-based and  personalized to fit your needs and strengths.

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myofunctional therapy
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Oral myofunctional therapy (OMT) can help an adult with a tongue tie by retraining the tongue and mouth muscles to function properly, which is often a critical part of a comprehensive treatment plan that may include surgery. OMT can improve tongue posture, breathing, swallowing, and speech by strengthening and stretching the muscles, and it can help prevent the tongue tie from reattaching after a surgical release.

How Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) Helps

OMT is a non-invasive, exercise-based program that re-educates neuromuscular patterns for lasting change. Your plan may include:

  • Tongue & lip posture training for correct rest position
  • Swallow retraining to replace tongue thrust with a mature swallow
  • Nasal breathing integration and habit-breaking strategies
  • Strength & coordination drills for lips, tongue, cheeks, and jaw
  • Interdisciplinary referrals (orthodontics, ENT, sleep, dentistry) as needed

Our therapists measure progress, reinforce home exercises, and coordinate with your care team to stabilize results.

Why It’s Critical to Get Help Early

When it comes to orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs), time is your best friend. The sooner we address them, the better the long-term results — and the easier life feels for your mouth, muscles, and overall health. That’s because uncorrected oral patterns don’t just “stay put.” They quietly keep influencing how your teeth grow, your jaw develops, and even how you breathe.

By catching and treating OMDs early, you’re not just solving a current problem — you’re helping your body avoid future ones. Here’s how early intervention makes a real difference:

  • Reduce orthodontic relapse and support balanced growth
  • Improve nasal breathing and sleep quality
  • Ease chewing/swallowing and reduce muscle strain
  • Enhance speech clarity and facial comfort

Think of early intervention like fixing a leaky roof before it becomes a waterfall — it’s easier, more effective, and saves you a lot of trouble down the road. The good news? With the right guidance and a personalized plan, most OMDs respond beautifully to therapy, helping you breathe, chew, speak, and smile with confidence.

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Think of this consultation as our “getting-to-know-you” session — a chance to see if we’re a good match, determine whether you (or your child) are a good candidate for myofunctional therapy, and decide if moving forward with a full comprehensive exam is the right next step.

If you have specific questions or concerns, jot them down ahead of time so we can make the most of our time together. The more we discuss during your consultation, the better we can understand how myofunctional therapy might help improve breathing, oral function, and overall wellness.

Choosing a virtual consultation? Great! Just make sure your internet connection is stable, your space is relatively quiet, and the lighting is good enough for us to see each other clearly — think “well-lit conversation,” not “mystery movie mood.” With those details in place, we can focus on what really matters: creating a plan that’s tailored to your needs and goals.

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🗣️ How Myofunctional Therapy Improves Speech and Articulation

The way we speak depends on more than just our vocal cords — it’s a finely tuned performance involving the tongue, lips, cheeks, and jaw all working together in perfect coordination. When those muscles are out of balance or not functioning properly, speech can become unclear, imprecise, or effortful. Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) helps retrain those muscles to move, rest, and work the way they’re meant to, which can dramatically improve speech clarity and articulation.

👅 Builds Stronger, Smarter Muscles

If the tongue or lips are too weak, too tense, or don’t know where to go during speech, certain sounds — like “s,” “sh,” “ch,” “t,” “d,” or “l” — can be tricky to pronounce. OMT uses targeted exercises to build strength, coordination, and control in these muscles, making it easier to produce clear, crisp sounds.

🧠 Corrects Oral Posture and Tongue Placement

Speech starts with proper oral posture. If the tongue rests too far forward, low, or against the teeth (a common issue with orofacial myofunctional disorders), it can distort sound production or cause a “lisp.” Myofunctional therapy trains the tongue to rest on the palate where it belongs and move in precise ways during speech, setting the stage for better articulation.

🗣️ Improves Coordination for Fluid Speech

Speaking clearly isn’t just about strength — it’s about timing. OMT improves the muscle memory and coordination needed for smooth transitions between sounds and syllables. This can help speech feel more natural and reduce effort, especially for children developing language or adults working on lingering articulation issues.

💨 Supports Better Breathing for Better Speaking

Clear speech also depends on breath control. Because OMT encourages nasal breathing and proper oral posture, it can improve breath support — helping you speak with more power, consistency, and confidence.

✅ The Result: With stronger, better-coordinated oral muscles and improved tongue placement, speech becomes clearer, more accurate, and easier to produce. Whether it’s helping a child overcome articulation delays or giving an adult more confidence in communication, myofunctional therapy addresses the root causes of speech difficulties — not just the symptoms.

🌟 How Myofunctional Therapy Enhances Oral Health and Breathing

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) focuses on retraining the muscles of the mouth, tongue, and face so they work in harmony. These small changes can make a big difference — not only for oral health, but also for the way you breathe every day.

🦷 Enhancing Oral Health

  • Prevents orthodontic relapse: By teaching the tongue, lips, and jaw to rest in their proper positions, OMT helps keep teeth aligned after braces or orthodontic work.

  • Reduces harmful habits: Thumb-sucking, tongue thrusting, or chronic mouth breathing can strain teeth and jaws. Therapy helps eliminate these patterns before they cause long-term damage.

  • Improves chewing and swallowing: Retraining muscles creates a more efficient bite, reduces strain, and helps protect teeth from uneven wear.

  • Supports gum and dental health: Closed-lip posture encourages nasal breathing, which keeps the mouth from drying out and lowers the risk of cavities, gum irritation, and bad breath.

💨 Improving Breathing

  • Promotes nasal breathing: OMT helps retrain the body to breathe primarily through the nose, which filters, warms, and humidifies air before it reaches the lungs.

  • Reduces airway obstruction: Proper tongue posture keeps the tongue from collapsing backward, helping keep the airway open — especially important during sleep.

  • Supports better oxygen flow: Efficient nasal breathing improves oxygen delivery, which boosts energy, focus, and overall wellness.

  • Helps with restful sleep: Stronger oral and facial muscles reduce snoring and sleep-disordered breathing, leading to deeper, more restorative sleep.

✅ The Big Picture: Myofunctional therapy isn’t just about fixing oral habits — it’s about creating healthy patterns that support lifelong oral wellness and optimal breathing. From protecting your smile to improving the way you sleep and breathe, OMT lays the foundation for better health, one small muscle movement at a time.

🌙 How Myofunctional Therapy Can Improve Restful Sleep

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) isn’t just about helping your tongue and facial muscles “behave” — it can actually play a major role in improving how well you sleep. That’s because the way you breathe, swallow, and rest your tongue and lips is closely tied to how efficiently your airway functions while you sleep. When those muscles aren’t working in harmony, it can lead to problems like mouth breathing, snoring, restless sleep, or even sleep-disordered breathing such as obstructive sleep apnea.

Here’s how OMT helps you sleep more soundly:

🫁 Encourages Nasal Breathing:
Myofunctional therapy retrains your muscles and breathing patterns to promote nasal breathing — the body’s natural and healthiest way to take in air. Breathing through the nose filters, warms, and humidifies air, reduces airway resistance, and supports deeper, more efficient sleep.

😴 Improves Airway Stability:
Strengthening and properly positioning the tongue, lips, and throat muscles helps keep the airway open and stable during sleep. This can significantly reduce snoring and lower the risk of airway collapse that contributes to sleep apnea.

🧠 Enhances Oxygen Flow and Sleep Quality:
Better breathing means more consistent oxygen flow to the brain and body throughout the night. This leads to deeper, more restorative sleep cycles — the kind that improves memory, mood, focus, and overall health.

🪶 Reduces Sleep Disruptions:
Many people with orofacial myofunctional disorders wake up frequently without realizing it, often due to breathing issues. By addressing the root cause, OMT can help you stay asleep longer and wake up feeling refreshed.

🪥 Supports Healthy Growth in Children:
For kids, correcting oral posture and breathing early can support proper facial and airway development, helping prevent future sleep-related issues altogether.

✅ The Bottom Line: Myofunctional therapy works on the foundation of restful sleep — the muscles and habits that shape how you breathe and how your airway functions. Whether you’re struggling with snoring, frequent awakenings, or daytime fatigue, improving muscle tone and function in the mouth and face can be a powerful, natural solution to help you finally enjoy deep, restorative sleep.

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Who Can Benefit?

Individuals of all ages may benefit from OMT, especially those who have orofacial myofunctional disorders or experience symptoms such as: Mouth breathing, Tongue thrusting, Lip incompetence, Speech difficulties, and TMJ pain

What Are the Benefits of Orofacial Myology?

People of all ages enjoy multiple benefits from seeing an orofacial myologist. Patients report an improved quality of life after treatment without having to resort to surgery. The non-invasive and painless therapy addresses the root cause of the problem, which helps alleviate the OMD symptoms, and also contributes to successful orthodontic intervention. When it comes to children, addressing orofacial muscle problems early on prevents the condition from progressing and allows them to experience normal growth and development.

What Does Myofunctional Therapy Involve?

Treatment by your orofacial myologist involves short exercises, a form of physical therapy that trains your oral and facial muscles to function properly, similar to going to the gym to build up other muscles in your body.

Signs and Symptoms of OMDs

Symptoms of OMDs include pain or discomfort around the face, jaw, or mouth, pain or impairment of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), mouth breathing, obstructive sleep apnea, and poor posture. Signs you need to see an orofacial myologist also include crooked teeth, a crowded mouth, an asymmetrical appearance of the lips or face, tongue thrust, incorrect chewing function, speech sound errors or distortion, and dental abnormalities such as an overjet and open bite. Some patients seeking treatment may not have OMDs, but want to improve an aging facial appearance, without the need for cosmetic surgery.

What Are the Causes of OMDs?

OMDs often result from extended pacifier use, chronic thumb sucking, prolonged bottle use, lip licking, nail-biting, upper airway obstruction due to enlarged tonsils, adenoids or allergies, or a restricted lingual frenulum. They can also result from muscular and structural differences or genetics.