Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy in Milwaukee: What It Is, Who It Helps, and What to Expect
- Maddy Vastola
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) uses specific exercises to retrain and improve how the muscles in your face, mouth, and jaw work. This therapy helps many different people, including children and adults. It addresses long-term issues like mouth breathing, tongue thrusting, jaw pain, snoring, and sleep problems. It can also help people speak more clearly and swallow correctly.
When you start OMT, a dedicated provider will look closely at your specific needs. Then, they will give you a unique exercise plan that slowly gets harder over time. You will work together to get your muscles coordinated. The goal is to improve your long-term health, helping you breathe, speak, and feel better overall.
Most people have never heard of orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT). That's not because it's obscure or unproven. It's because the specialty is relatively young as a clinical field, and because the conditions it treats, including tongue posture abnormalities, oral breathing habits, and the downstream effects of tongue ties, are frequently missed or misdiagnosed.
Orofacial myofunctional therapy in Milwaukee at Mequon Speech and Learning Connection addresses the muscle patterns and functions of the face, mouth, and throat that affect breathing, swallowing, speech, and dental development. For patients whose dental alignment, breathing quality, or speech is affected by these patterns, OMT produces changes that no other therapy type can achieve.
What Are Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders?
An orofacial myofunctional disorder (OMD) is an abnormal pattern in the muscles of the face, mouth, or throat. The most common OMDs include:
Tongue Tie Restricting Functional Movement.
Tongue tie occurs when the frenulum, the small band of tissue connecting the tongue to the floor of the mouth, is unusually short or tight. This restriction can make nursing difficult for infants and may lead to challenges with eating and speech development as the child grows.
Normally, swallowing requires the tongue to press against the hard palate behind the upper front teeth. Tongue thrust occurs when the tongue pushes forward against or between the teeth during swallowing instead. Over time, this constant forward pressure contributes to open bite malocclusion (a gap between the upper and lower front teeth when the mouth is closed), protrusion of the upper front teeth, and resistance to orthodontic treatment because the habit undermines the forces that braces and aligners apply.
Low tongue resting posture.
The tongue should rest on the palate (the roof of the mouth) when the mouth is at rest. When the tongue habitually rests on the floor of the mouth, it fails to provide the natural outward pressure that shapes the upper arch during growth. The result can be a narrow upper palate, increased crowding of teeth, and the need for palate expansion or extractions in orthodontic treatment.
Mouth breathing.
Habitual mouth breathing, rather than nasal breathing at rest, is associated with altered facial development in children, increased risk of dental decay (dry mouth), sleep-disordered breathing, reduced oxygen efficiency during exercise, and chronic fatigue. Mouth breathing is often associated with low tongue resting posture, since a tongue sitting on the palate helps maintain nasal breathing.
Prolonged thumb, finger, or pacifier sucking after age 3 can contribute to open bite malocclusion and influence tongue posture.
Who Benefits From Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy?
OMT for children and adults is recommended when presenting with any of the following:
- Tongue thrust swallow (at any age)
- Low tongue resting posture, with or without orthodontic treatment
- Mouth breathing at rest
- Open bite malocclusion
- Post-tongue tie release (lingual frenectomy) patients who need rehabilitation of tongue function
- Children with speech sound disorders related to tongue position (dental sounds, sibilants)
- Sleep-disordered breathing contributing factors
- Patients in orthodontic treatment who need to address habit patterns to support treatment outcomes
Orthodontists and dentists frequently refer patients to OMT because they recognize that habit patterns can undermine orthodontic outcomes. A patient with tongue thrust swallow wearing Invisalign is working against their aligners with every swallow, thousands of times per day. Addressing the underlying muscle pattern is necessary for orthodontic results to hold.
The OMT Process at Mequon Speech and Learning Connection
Evaluation. A myofunctional evaluation at Mequon Speech and Learning Connection begins with a comprehensive assessment of resting posture (tongue, lip, jaw), swallowing function, oral breathing patterns, facial muscle tone, and any structural factors including tongue tie. The evaluation takes 60 to 90 minutes and produces a clear picture of which patterns need to be addressed.
Treatment program. OMT is a behavioral retraining process: the therapist teaches the patient new muscle patterns and habits through a series of exercises and awareness activities, which the patient practices daily between sessions. Sessions are typically once to twice weekly, with sessions lasting 45 to 60 minutes. The exercise program evolves as the patient develops each foundational skill.
Duration. Most OMT programs run three to six months for focused presentations. More complex cases involving multiple contributing factors, post-tongue tie rehabilitation, or coordination with orthodontic treatment may run six to twelve months. Patient compliance with the daily exercise program is the primary determinant of how quickly progress occurs.
Post-Tongue Tie Release Rehabilitation
One of the most important applications of OMT at Mequon Speech and Learning Connection is post-frenectomy rehabilitation. Tongue tie release (lingual frenectomy) frees the tongue from the tethering that restricted its movement. But frees it to do what? For patients who have had a restricted tongue for years or decades, the tongue muscles haven't developed the strength and coordination to use the new range of motion effectively.
Without rehabilitation, many patients find that tongue tie release doesn't fully resolve their symptoms. The tongue has more freedom of movement but the old compensatory habits and reduced muscle strength persist. OMT provides the structured rehabilitation that translates frenectomy into functional change.
Orofacial myofunctional therapy in Milwaukee at Mequon Speech and Learning Connection partners with local dental and ENT providers to coordinate pre- and post-frenectomy care for patients of all ages.
Frequently Asked Questions About Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy
At what age can children start OMT?
Most OMT programs are designed for patients age 6 and older, when the patient can follow instructions, perform the exercises with reasonable independence, and understand the concept of muscle retraining. Some early intervention approaches address oral habits in younger children, but formal OMT programs typically begin at school age. OMT for adults can begin at any age and achieve meaningful results with consistent participation.
How long until results are noticeable in OMT?
Most patients and families notice changes in resting tongue posture and swallowing pattern within 8 to 12 weeks of consistent program participation. Dental changes, such as gradual reduction in open bite space, occur slowly and are most visible over 6 to 12 months. Breathing improvements and sleep quality changes are often reported within the first few months as nasal breathing becomes more habitual. The timeline is highly dependent on daily exercise compliance.
Is OMT covered by insurance?
Coverage varies by insurance plan. When OMT is provided by a speech-language pathologist under a diagnosis that qualifies for SLP services, many plans provide partial coverage. Mequon Speech and Learning Connection verifies insurance benefits for each patient before services begin and provides families with a clear explanation of expected coverage and out-of-pocket costs.
Ready to Address the Root Cause?
If you suspect that mouth breathing, a tongue thrust, or an untreated tongue tie is impacting your or your child's health, sleep, or orthodontic success, getting the right support makes all the difference.
At Mequon Speech & Learning Connection, our expert team wants to help you or your child improve skills and live a healthier life. We invite you to meet our experienced therapists, Jennie Herklotz, Kim Harrison, and Tiffany Rindt. They bring special training and knowledge to every appointment. Contact us today to set up an evaluation. Find out how our personalized approach to speech and muscle therapy can make a difference.
Call Us: 262-302-4166
Email Us: office@mequonspeech.com
At Mequon Speech and Learning Connection, we're proud to serve patients across the Milwaukee and Mequon area with OMT programs designed around each person's unique needs and goals. Whether you're looking into OMT for yourself, your child, or as part of ongoing orthodontic treatment, we're here to provide a comprehensive evaluation and a clear path forward.
More and more, professionals in dentistry, orthodontics, and otolaryngology are recognizing the connection between orofacial muscle function and healthy dental, breathing, and speech development. If your child has been recommended for orthodontic treatment but their tongue posture or swallowing pattern hasn't been looked at, an OMT evaluation with us is an important and helpful next step.
Contact Mequon Speech and Learning Connection to schedule your evaluation and learn what OMT can do for your specific situation.
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