Myofuntional Therapy
Myofunctional therapy focuses on teaching patients exercises and techniques to improve their oral muscular development. This therapy can help improve speech and language development, thumb/finger-sucking habits, airway issues, and swallowing issues. We are excited to offer myofunctional therapy in addition to laser treatments.
Myofunctional Therapy Consult and Treatment
Myofunctional therapy may be a treatment option for children with oral aversions, oral defensiveness, gagging, swallowing issues, and post-laser frenectomy treatment. To determine if a child would benefit from myofunctional we recommend the child be evaluated by our myofunctional therapist to determine the child’s treatment needs. Following this consultation, the child would receive one-on-one therapy with our myofunctional therapist to address their treatment needs and goals.
Habit Elimination
Myofunctional therapy can be used to help address oral habits that include nail biting, prolonged pacifier use, and thumb/finger-sucking habits. These types of oral habits can have a negative impact on both oral and dental development. Our myofunctional therapy habit elimination program consists of three visits with our myofunctional therapist to focus on giving the child the tools they need to eliminate these habits in a positive environment.
Speech Pathology Therapy
Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) collaborate and work closely with a number of other professionals. While many are familiar with SLPs working with occupational or physical therapists, you might not think of dentists as someone we might work with. There are a number of reasons we might work together:
- Prolonged use of a pacifier, thumb, bottle, or sippy cup - All of these can impact the development of oral structures (e.g., teeth, palate, tongue placement) in your child’s mouth and cause issues with speech/articulation and jaw and teeth structure. No one wants to increase their chances of their child needing braces, so talk to your child’s therapist or dentist about how and when to eliminate using these.
- Reverse swallow/tongue thrust - Dentists and SLPs work together to determine why your child may be exhibiting a reverse swallow or tongue thrust and establish a plan to help facilitate a more typical swallow pattern and tongue placement.
- Tongue tie - Often your child’s dentist or SLP will be the first one to diagnose a tongue tie if it was not detected as an infant due to feeding challenges.
- Oral Clefts - If your child has an oral cleft, a speech language pathologist and dentist will likely be important parts on your child’s medical team. They will collaborate with you and the rest of the team to determine how your child’s speech and feeding skills can be supported.
