What Are Orofacial Myology Exercises?

Orofacial Myology is certainly becoming more well known these days, with many dentists, speech pathologists and other allied health professionals receiving training in the delivery of Orofacial Myofunctional therapy. One of the core features of this therapy is the prescription of a set of Orofacial Myofunctional exercises to be completed at home and during therapy sessions. 

If you’ve recently started your search for local Orofacial Myofunctional therapy, or have recently made an appointment, you may be curious to know what you’ll be getting up to. In this article, we’ll take a look at what Orofacial Myology exercises are and what you can expect when being prescribed a personalized plan to complement your speech therapy sessions. 

What Are Orofacial Myology Exercises?

As we briefly hinted in our introduction, one of the core features of Orofacial Myofunctional therapy is the implementation of an exercise training program that targets the muscles around the face, mouth, and tongue – depending on which areas need additional support. Some professionals explain Orofacial Myology exercises as ‘physical therapy for your face’.  

There’s a wide variety of Orofacial Myology exercises that have been shown to support individuals with a variety of health conditions that impact oral and facial movement. Some exercises involve tools like straws or buttons to provide extra resistance and maneuver the tongue and facial muscles in certain ways.

In order for Orofacial Myology exercises to be relevant and effective, they need to be prescribed in a custom treatment plan by the healthcare professional who has been trained in myofunctional therapy. Some of our Speech Pathologists with a special interest in Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders have completed this training, and are now able to provide this therapy to adults and adolescents in North Brisbane / Moreton Bay. 

What Do Orofacial Myology Protocols Include?

Orofacial Myology exercises are often organized into groups, called ‘protocols’, that your treating Orofacial Myologist will adjust during the course of your treatment. Similar to a gym workout program, you’ll be given a list of exercises to perform a certain number of times for a certain number of repetitions. You may also be asked to record when you’ve practiced the prescribed exercises and make notes if you notice any changes or difficulties during your home practice. 

Orofacial Myology Kits

Here at Speak and Swallow Speech Therapy, we offer our clients receiving Orofacial Myology treatment with what we like to call ‘Myokits’ –  a pack with printed protocol instructions and a variety of tools to support the completion of Orofacial Myology exercises.

If you’re interested in learning more about Orofacial Myology and whether Orofacial Myology exercises would support you in achieving your goals, get in touch with our friendly team.