Asheville Myofunctional Therapy

What is Myofunctional Therapy

At our office, we offer Asheville myofunctional therapy as a personalized approach to improving your oral and overall health. This therapy focuses on strengthening the mouth and face muscles, which play a vital role in functions like breathing, chewing, and swallowing.

The treatment process begins with a thorough assessment to understand your specific needs. Our Myofunctional Therapist, Anna, will create a customized plan that includes exercises designed to retrain these muscles. These exercises are simple, non-invasive, and can often be done at home, making the therapy convenient and easy to incorporate into your daily routine.

Why Do I Need It?

Myofunctional therapy is often recommended for dental patients who exhibit Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs), which can negatively impact oral and overall health. These disorders involve improper function of the facial and oral muscles, often leading to issues such as improper swallowing, mouth breathing, or snoring.

Patients with OMDs may experience a range of dental problems, including malocclusion (misaligned teeth), temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ), and difficulties with speech or chewing. Myofunctional therapy helps to retrain these muscles, promoting correct tongue posture, proper swallowing patterns, and nasal breathing.

How Can It Help?

Myofunctional Therapy is important because it addresses the root causes of several common issues, such as sleep apnea, snoring, and an improper bite. The therapy can help you breathe easier, sleep better, and even enhance your dental alignment by improving muscle function.

Patients often experience significant benefits from myofunctional therapy, including reduced facial pain, improved sleep quality, and optimal oral health. At John Highsmith, DDS, we are committed to providing care that supports your overall well-being. Additionally, we offer various treatments, including cosmetic dentistry in Asheville, which can complement your myofunctional therapy and further enhance your smile. Ask us how Asheville myofunctional therapy can make a positive difference in your life.

Sleep Disordered Breathing

Have you ever noticed that your child snores? Or perhaps grinds their teeth while sleeping? Do you catch them breathing through their mouth during the day instead of through their nose? Has their behavior become more aggressive? Believe it or not, all of these are symptoms of Sleep Disordered Breathing – a condition where the air flowing through the nose is obstructed during sleep.The key to Sleep Disordered Breathing is the development of jaw muscles and their outlying structures. When children have underdeveloped faces or jaws, it can lead to poor habits like mouth breathing or poor breathing in general. If your child has limited breathing capabilities, it will drastically affect the quality of their sleep.