Myofunctional Therapy for Adults & Children
Myofunctional therapy is an exercise-based treatment modality. It’s just like doing physical therapy, only for symptoms and conditions related to the face, mouth and jaws. If your tongue rests low in your mouth, or if you’re breathing through your mouth, then this is a strong sign that you need myofunctional therapy.
How Therapy Works
At Reno Tahoe Myo, I want to create a treatment plan that suites each patients individual needs. I’ve taken the most current research and cutting-edge techniques in the oral myofunctional field, and combined them with breathing retraining exercises and myofacial release techniques.
The result is a comprehensive treatment approach focused on returning true functionality to the orofacial complex and eliminating dysfunctional breathing patterns and habits. The results my patients have experienced have been life-changing.
Is Therapy difficult?
Not at all! I strive to make therapy attainable for even the busiest of patients. If patients can practice their exercises for five minutes, twice a day, they will get excellent results. The exercises are simple and fun to do!
“I strive to help you and your family achieve a healthy airway through proper oralfacial muscular function that will keep you breathing easy for a lifetime!”
Christi Mannos
Why is Mouth Breathing bad?
Breathing through the nose is the way we’re meant to breathe. It’s good for us on so many levels. Mouth breathing can cause a range of symptoms that affect all parts of our body from our teeth and facial structure to our digestive system, so it’s definitely something worth changing.
What is a low resting tongue posture?
Your tongue provides a support structure for your jaw. The tongue should rest in the top of your mouth all the way from the tip to the very back. When it doesn’t, and instead is low on the floor of the mouth, this is called a low resting tongue or low resting tongue posture. This is a sign that myofunctional therapists pay close attention to.
Can Myofunctional Therapy help with snoring?
Yes. Mouth breathing and snoring go hand in hand. If you can learn to breathe through your nose during the night, and strengthen the muscles in your throat, then you will snore less. Myofunctional therapy exercises have been shown to be helpful with other types of sleep disordered breathing (like sleep apnea and UARS) as well.
Christi Mannos
Oralfacial Myofunctional Therapist
My path to becoming a myofunctional therapist began after practicing dental hygiene for six years in a complete health dentistry practice. After graduating from Truckee Meadows Community College with my Associate’s Degree in Dental Hygiene and then graduating from The College of Southern Nevada with my Bachelor’s Degree in Dental Hygiene two years later, I came across the growing field of myofunctional therapy.
I’d Love to Help, Call for any questions.
The Four Goals of Myofunctional Therapy
Nasal Breathing
Breathing through the nose is how we are meant to breath. Nasal breathing filters, warms, and moistens the air. Healthy nitric oxide is also released into the body when we nasal breath.
Lip Seal
At rest, our lips should naturally be closed and fit comfortably together. When we sleep with our mouths closed, we are able to get more oxygen, repair our bodies during the night, and reduce risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
Tongue Posture
The tongue is meant to fill up the entire roof of the mouth. This creates a scaffold and support for the upper arch and jaws. When your tongue is in the correct place in the mouth, teeth will grow straighter and your face will develop properly. The tongue plays an enormous role in our facial appearance.
Swallowing Pattern
If your tongue pushes forward when you swallow, you have a tongue thrust swallowing pattern. This makes you more likely to swallow small gulps of air during eating and drinking which can cause digestive issues such as acid reflux, gas, stomach pain, constipation, and bloating.
My Approach & Philosophy
12 Session Myofunctional Therapy Treatment Program
I typically recommend a 12-session therapy program for my patients at Reno Tahoe Myo.
During therapy, you’ll work through a carefully structured program tailored to your needs, with each session progressively building on the one before it. The program starts with improving oral and facial muscle strength, and then works through swallowing, eating, speech, tongue-tie or sleep apnea exercises, depending on your symptoms.
These 12-session therapy programs usually last about eight to ten months. The appointments are held in person at Reno Tahoe Myo or via TeleHealth and our online patient portal. You will meet with me for a 30-45 minute session every two to three weeks.
The daily time commitment for your exercises is simple – five minutes, twice day is all it takes!
The 12-session programs in personalized and effective so you can learn exercises and techniques that will help you to permanently change your oral myofunctional habits for the better.
Most Common Disorders
Oral myofunctional disorders or OMDs are functional disorders that cause facial growth and developmental abnormalities and ultimately cause airway issues if not addressed. Examples of OMDs are:
• Abnormal thumb, finger, lip and tongue sucking habits
• A resting open mouth posture
• A forward tongue resting posture against the teeth or low in the mouth
• Tongue thrust upon speaking or swallowing
• Open bite occlusion
• Tongue tie
• Snoring
• Sleep Apnea or Sleep Disordered Breathing
• TMD or TMJ disorders
Other issues from OMD's
When people have OMDs they often have many other health issues that are caused by these OMDs. These could be digestive issues due to an incorrect swallowing pattern that contributes to swallowing air when eating or drinking that contribute to gas, bloating and indigestion. They could also experience more decay and gum disease due to an open mouth or mouth breathing habit. When the mouth dries out from mouth breathing, the saliva isn’t able to wash away plaque and bacteria which can cause oral decay and infection. Mouth breathing has an array of other issues associated with it such as increased risk of sleepiness, allergies, asthma, large tonsils, increased risk of colds or flu, snoring, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and many more.
By identifying which OMDs are present, I can formulate a treatment plan that can help work on the Four Goals of Myofunctional Therapy. By accomplishing these goals, patients experience better muscular function and proper resting positions of the face and oral cavity in order to create a ripple effect into other areas of their health. My goal is always to improve the airway and by doing so, we can work on dysfunctions that cause symptoms of health issues that can greatly impact quality of life.
What are Oral Myofunctional Disorders?
When people have OMDs they often have many other health issues that are caused by these OMDs. These could be digestive issues due to an incorrect swallowing pattern that contributes to swallowing air when eating or drinking that contribute to gas, bloating and indigestion. They could also experience more decay and gum disease due to an open mouth or mouth breathing habit. When the mouth dries out from mouth breathing, the saliva isn’t able to wash away plaque and bacteria which can cause oral decay and infection. Mouth breathing has an array of other issues associated with it such as increased risk of sleepiness, allergies, asthma, large tonsils, increased risk of colds or flu, snoring, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and many more.
By identifying which OMDs are present, I can formulate a treatment plan that can help work on the Four Goals of Myofunctional Therapy. By accomplishing these goals, patients experience better muscular function and proper resting positions of the face and oral cavity in order to create a ripple effect into other areas of their health. My goal is always to improve the airway and by doing so, we can work on dysfunctions that cause symptoms of health issues that can greatly impact quality of life.
Testimonials
What People Are Saying
“Since starting therapy with Christi, I have already noticed a change in my sleep and have been keeping my tongue up and mouth closed more than ever!”
“I feel so much more rested now that I’m not snoring or breathing through my mouth.”
“Ever since doing myofunctional therapy, my tongue is in the right position so I can breath better and am looking forward to an easier time in braces!”
“ I just wanted to say Thank you so much for all of your help on this journey. You have taught me so much and I will continue to practice and keep up the work. You are very good at what you do and you’re helping a lot of people. I appreciate you and all of our sessions. Thank you so much!! If I have any questions or feel I need more help, I know that you’re the best in town for myotherapy. Thank you!”
Get In Touch
Call
(775)-750-2173
christi@renotahoemyo.com
Address
10655 Professional Circle. Suite A Reno, NV 89521
Hours
Mon – Fri: 10am – 9pm
Weekends: 10am – 3pm