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Myofunctional Therapy

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Myofunctional Therapy
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Does your child snore, grind their teeth, or have frequent headaches?
Do they have speech concerns, food aversions, or a tongue/lip tie?
Myofunctional therapy could improve these symptoms and help them thrive.

At Hines Little Smiles, we can perform an assessment, then refer to a Myofunctional specialist who can provide further treatment. They develop a personalized plan of exercises to correct the issues by helping the facial muscles function correctly.
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What is Myofunctional Therapy?

Myofunctional therapy is a type of physical therapy that treats the muscles of the mouth, jaw, and face. Habits formed in childhood can often cause issues with chewing, swallowing, and speech. With treatment from a myofunctional therapist, breathing, bite, and posture can all be improved and lead to better overall health.

who can benefit?

Oral myofunctional disorders can affect people of all ages and the earlier the intervention, the better the results. The function and development of facial structures can be affected when the lip, jaw, or tongue is in an abnormal position. Without correction, symptoms can last a lifetime. Causes of underperforming facial muscles can be the result of a variety of factors including a deviated septum, enlarged tonsils, and a misaligned bite.

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Signs and Symptoms in Children
Speech Concerns:

  • Speech Concerns
  • Frequent Thumb Sucking or Pacifier Use
  • Food Aversions
  • Large Tonsils
  • Lip and/or Tongue Tie
  • Narrow Vaulted Upper Palate
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Benefits of Myofunctional Therapy

We want to replace bad habits with healthy habits. Therapy treatment is personalized based on age, symptoms, and unique needs. Throughout a period of 8-10 months, a patient will typically undergo twelve sessions. With exercises to transform habits, a patient can improve pain levels, sleep-disordered breathing, clenching and grinding, open-mouth breathing, posture, and overall health. They will also have at home tongue and lip strengthening exercises to continue the improvement and maintain positive oral myofunctional habits.

next steps

You can make an appointment with our team and we’ll talk with you about your child’s symptoms and assess any underperforming facial muscles. Once we determine if your child can benefit from myofunctional therapy, we will work with you to find a specialist who can provide personalized care.

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"Very grateful to be introduced to such an awesome team of professionals!"

"Very grateful to be introduced to such an awesome team of professionals! Very kid friendly and very knowledgeable about how to work with children. They worked so well with my son! I love it here! And the pediatric doctor was amazing 🙌🏽 THANK YOU!!."

Meesha F.
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contact us today to see if your child can benefit from myofunctional therapy.
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