Myofunctional Therapy

About

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy, Joy Lea Moeller, BS, RDH, Orofacial Myologist

Description

Welcome,

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share with you my life's passion, the treatment of swallowing disorders and how they affect your entire body's health.

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy is a program used to correct the improper function of the tongue and facial muscles used at rest, for chewing and for swallowing.

The human body -- a wondrously complex combination of tissue, bones and chemicals. To keep this mechanical marvel operating at its best, the body needs to maintain a certain harmonious pattern. However, as with any complicated system, when an important function of the body is thrown off, problems may develop.

Correct swallowing depends on a proper relationship between muscles of the face, mouth and throat. The act of swallowing is one function that depends on the body's vital balance. To swallow properly, muscles and nerves in the tongue, cheeks and throat must work together in harmony. When a person swallows normally, the tip of the tongue presses firmly against the roof of the mouth or hard palate, located slightly behind the front teeth. The tongue acts in concert with all the other muscles involved in swallowing. The hard palate, meanwhile, absorbs the force created by the tongue.

Because a person swallows 500-1000 times a day, it's easy to see how improper swallowing can cause a variety of problems. But it is actually the resting position of the tongue that does the most damage because it is more constant.

Most babies are born with a natural ability to latch on to the breast and feed. In order to do this, their tongue comes forward which is a normal pattern for infants. Usually at age 1 to 3, the teeth erupt and the baby stops nursing and learns how to drink and eat and the tongue finds roof of the mouth and reverses direction. Sometimes this natural progression is altered and a whole series of problems may develop.

This is a story that must be told. It has the potential to dramatically alter people's lives. I have been practicing for 30 years and have seen remarkable transformations in the health of my patients. I began because my son had the problem and I saw his ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) issues, headaches, and TMJ (jaw) pain stop. I was a dental hygienist and I decided to learn and study everything I could in the field. I have seen so many patients having surgery after surgery, taking many medications, and generally seeking the wrong type of health care and suffering immensely.

I now practice in Pacific Palisades, California and in Beverly Hills, California and I am one of the few who teach courses in the treatment of this disorder. I will do anything to get this valuable treatment option out to the public because I have seen unbelievable changes occur in the health of my patients and millions could be helped.

Orofacial myofunctional therapy has been known in the research since the early 1900's. Currently, this emerging therapeutic treatment has become professionalized with a certification process available to speech pathologists, dental hygienists, and dentists and physicians. Unfortunately, however, most people and even physicians or dentists, are unaware that this life-enhancing therapy even exists.

The current Scope of Practice in the United States for oral myology is:

1. Abnormal non-nutritive sucking hapits (thumb, finger, pacifier etc)
2. Other detrimental orofacial habits
3. Abnormal orofacial rest posture problems
4. Abnormal neuromuscular muscle patterns associated with inappropriate mastication, bolus formation, and deglutition
5. Abnormal functional breathing patterns
6. Abnormal swallowing patterns
7. Abnormal speech patterns

What causes myofunctional disorders? Researchers used to think it was bottle feeding. Now many therapists feel it is also mouth breathing or oral habits such as thumb sucking or overuse of a pacifier or Sippy cup. Also, a short frenum (the string that attaches the tongue to the floor of the mouth) may be the cause.

Swallowing disorders or tongue thrusting may be associated with overwhelming number of problems

1. Crooked teeth or orthodontic relapse
2. Headaches
3. TMJD (jaw joint) pain
4. Forward head posture
5. Digestive disorders such as acid reflex or stomachaches from air swallowing
6. Sleep and breathing disorders
7. Oral lesion from tongue irritation
8. Gum disease
9. Psychological problems
10. Failure to thrive and other child development problems
11. Middle ear drainage issues
12. Grinding or clenching of the teeth
13. Drooling
14. Habits, such as nail biting, thumb sucking, hair chewing, lip or cheek biting

Treatment is non-invasive, inexpensive, and it may address the cause of many problems, instead of the symptoms.
There are five parts to the treatment:

1. Habit elimination therapy done with rewards and behavior modification
2. A series of therapy exercises which improve nasal breathing and oral facial functions.
3. Promoting proper chewing and swallowing
4. Re-patterning head and neck posture problems
5. Generalization and habituation of the new muscle pattern

I welcome the opportunity to discuss the problem and the solutions further. Please take a moment to review the materials I've enclosed in this package. Note in particular the case studies with telling photos before and after treatment. These are a mere few amongst thousands we've been able to help. The public must learn what this life-altering therapy can do.

Best Regards,

Joy Moeller, BS, RDH
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist

About Joy Moeller

Joy Moeller has worked in private practice as a myofunctional therapist since 1980.

She has worked in a variety of settings including:

* Children's Hospital, San Diego, California
* Temporal Mandibular Joint Therapy Clinic
* Orthodontist Offices
* Pediatric Dental Offices
* Associate Professor, Indiana University
* Public School System as Health Educator
* Chiropractic Office
* ENT Office

Her training is extensive. She graduated from the Myofunctional Therapy Institute in Coral Gables, Florida, in 1980 and had an extensive Internship in Orofacial Myology.

Joy's background of Dental Hygiene led the way for further studies, and she has taught and continues to teach principles of Orofacial Myology to graduate and post-graduate students and numerous universities as a guest speaker.

* UCLA School of Dentistry
* USC
* Cerritos College
* Guttenberg University in Mainz, Germany
* University of Louvain in Brussels, Belgium
* University of Freiburg, Germany
* Physical therapy groups
* Speech Pathologists
* Orthodontists, Dentists and Hygienists

She is currently teaching at UCLA in the Sleep Medicine Mini-Residency Program.

"My son, Sam (12 years old), has had serious dental problems because of a tongue thrust condition. After his second set of braces were in place, we went to see Joy Moeller. We have seen major improvement with his dental issues in a very short period. Joy Moeller gives easy to follow instructions, she is very patient and kind, and very flexible with appointment setting. We are thrilled with the results! -

- The Borghese Family