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What's Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT)?

OMT is an interdisciplinary approach to manage Orofacial myofunctional disorders. It works with the oral and facial muscles, including jaw, lips, tongue, cheek, velum, and their related functions (including breathing, speaking, chewing, swallowing and sucking). The team may consist of dentist, orthodontist, speech therapist, otolaryngologist, and someone trained in OMT.

Is it OMD? Symptoms to Look For

According to American Speech-Language and Hearing Association, Orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMD) are movement patterns involving oral and orofacial musculature, which result in incorrect positioning of the tongue at rest and during swallowing, breathing, and speech production. They can be found in people in all ages, and maybe caused by structural differences, genetic, learned behaviors, environmental factors, and combination of them.

 

OMD symptoms may include:

  • Habitual mouth opening at rest, mouth breathing

  • Tongue thrusting

  • Oral motor weakness and chronic drooling

  • Slurred or unclear speech

  • Ankyloglossia, or tongue-tie

  • Dental malocclusions

  • Snoring and sleep apnea

  • Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs)

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Why treat OMD?

OMD could cause dysfunction in a range of areas and in all ages, if they are not properly treated.

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What are the goals of OMT?

Habit is not always CORRECT. Habits may develop due to compensation of dysfunctional orofacial muscular. Therefore,

“The primary purpose of orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) is to create an oral environment in which typical processes of orofacial and dental growth and development can take place and be maintained (Hanson & Mason, 2003).”

Main goals include,

  • Healthy rest posture (tongue, lips, face, head and neck)

  • Functional nasal breathing at rest and at other times

  • Correct tongue use at speech, sucking, chewing and swallowing

Our team

Established in 2003, ENT Laser Hearing and Speech Therapy Centre comprises a team of experienced Speech Therapists (STs). Over half of the team have 10 to 25 years of practicing experiences. Our STs have extensive and comprehensive training in oromotor, oral musculature, speech and swallowing assessment and treatment modalities, including Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy, TalkTools Therapy, Beckman Oral Motor Examination & Intervention©, PROMPT, myofascial release manual techniques, sensory processing, bedside and instrumental swallowing assessment protocols and internationally standardized voice and speech sound assessment protocols. This expertise enables us to effectively manage diverse cases across all age groups, including children with special needs, adults and elderly with CVA and other neuromuscular diseases. Nevertheless, we are enthusiastic and passionate to collaborate with different professionals, caretakers and the clients for providing the most efficient holistic care to our service users.

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