Learn More about Optimal Jaw Growth and Airway Health!
What is MyoWay Centers for Kids?
We are a pediatric Myofunctional Therapy center. We train the oral, facial and airway muscles from ages birth and up so that kids can grow right, breathe right and live better. We specialize in Myofunctional therapy appliances and incorporate them into your child's customized program to increase their compliance and thus streamline their success.
What is Myofunctional Therapy?
Myofunctional therapy is a specialized form of treatment that focuses on retraining the muscles of the mouth, face, and tongue to function properly. These muscles play a key role in essential activities like breathing, chewing, swallowing, and even speaking. When these muscles don’t function as they should, it can lead to a variety of health and developmental issues. Myofunctional therapy uses specific exercises and FDA approved medical grade devices to correct these dysfunctions, ensuring that the muscles of the face and mouth work together optimally.
A common goal of myofunctional therapy is to correct what's called "orofacial myofunctional disorders" (OMDs). These disorders can manifest as improper swallowing patterns, mouth breathing, tongue thrusting, or poor oral posture (such as the tongue resting in the wrong position). By addressing these issues, myofunctional therapy helps with overall oral health, airway function, and facial development.
Why is Myofunctional Therapy Important for Children?
Children are at a critical stage of growth and development, and how they use their oral muscles can significantly impact their overall health, speech development, and even facial structure. Improper muscle function, such as mouth breathing or incorrect swallowing, can lead to misaligned teeth, speech impediments, or even obstructed airways, which may contribute to sleep disorders.
Myofunctional therapy for children focuses on addressing these problems early on, often preventing the need for more invasive treatments like orthodontics, surgery, or speech therapy later in life. By ensuring that the tongue and facial muscles are working as they should, therapy can promote proper jaw growth and tooth alignment, as well as improve breathing patterns. Since children are still in the process of growing, they respond more quickly to treatment, making it an ideal time to intervene.
Programs
Toddler Program
Ages 24mo+
The Toddler Myofunctional Therapy Program at MyoWay is a targeted initiative designed for children aged 24 months to 3 years. This program focuses on optimizing oral and facial muscle function during a critical stage of early development. By addressing emerging oral habits, supporting proper speech and eating skills, and fostering healthy growth patterns, our program aims to promote a solid foundation for future developmental milestones and overall well-being.
Preschool Program
Ages 3yrs+
The Early Childhood Myofunctional Therapy Program at MyoWay is designed specifically for children aged 3 to 5 years. This program focuses on optimizing oral and facial muscle function during a crucial period of growth and development. By addressing early signs of oral and facial issues, supporting speech and eating skills, and promoting healthy developmental patterns, the program aims to lay a solid foundation for future health and well-being.
School Age Program
Ages 5yrs+
The Comprehensive Myofunctional Therapy for Children Program at MyoWay is designed for children aged 5 years and older. A child's facial structure undergoes significant development,particularly around the age of 5. By 6 years old, most children have had 60-80% of their facial growth complete. This period is critical for growth and changes that lay the groundwork for proper facial alignment and function. This program addresses the unique developmental needs of school-age children, focusing on optimizing oral and facial muscle function to support their overall health and development. By targeting issues such as improper oral habits, speech challenges, and functional inefficiencies, the program aims to enhance both immediate well-being and long-term outcomes. At MyoWay, we understand the crucial importance of proper facial development during a child's formative years. Our School Program is designed to optimize facial symmetry, dental alignment, and jaw development, ensuring a healthy foundation for oral structures and airway function.
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Why Early Intervention is Crucial
Early intervention in children’s orofacial development is critical because it can prevent small issues from snowballing into bigger problems later on. For example, if a child develops the habit of mouth breathing, it can negatively impact their jaw development, tooth alignment, and even their ability to sleep well (as they might develop obstructive sleep apnea). Similarly, improper swallowing patterns can put pressure on the teeth, leading to malocclusion (misaligned teeth), which could later require braces or other corrective measures.
By addressing these issues early with myofunctional therapy, parents can save their children from potential future complications. Correcting these problems in early childhood allows the facial structure to develop properly, improving overall health and making the need for more extensive treatment much less likely.
Why Preventative Care is Always Better
Preventative care, such as myofunctional therapy, is generally far less costly than treating established problems. Correcting orofacial issues early on can prevent a cascade of complications like malocclusion, sleep apnea, or even the need for more complex orthodontic procedures, like orthognathic surgery. For instance, a child who learns to swallow properly and breathe through their nose is less likely to need braces, jaw surgery, or long-term dental intervention in the future.
From a financial perspective, early treatment often involves fewer appointments, simpler interventions, and less invasive techniques, which means lower costs. Waiting to address issues, on the other hand, often means paying for more complex treatments such as orthodontics, dental surgeries, or continuous speech therapy, all of which can be costly and time-consuming.
How Myofunctional Therapy Promotes Proper Jaw Growth and Development
One of the major benefits of myofunctional therapy is its role in promoting proper jaw growth and development in children. When the muscles of the face and tongue are functioning correctly, they help guide the growth of the jaw. For example, proper tongue posture (with the tongue resting against the roof of the mouth) naturally helps expand the palate, ensuring there is enough space for teeth to grow in straight. This can significantly reduce the likelihood of overcrowded teeth or the need for braces.
Additionally, correcting improper muscle function can help avoid jaw misalignment issues, such as overbites or underbites, which can require orthodontic or surgical intervention later in life. Myofunctional therapy works by using exercises to train the muscles to support the jaw’s natural growth pattern, leading to more harmonious facial development.
Myofunctional Therapy for Airway Health and Strengthening
Myofunctional therapy also plays a critical role in airway health. Children who breathe through their mouth rather than their nose often have compromised airway function. Mouth breathing can cause a narrowing of the airways, leading to problems such as obstructive sleep apnea, snoring, and poor sleep quality. Over time, this can result in attention issues, fatigue, and even slower cognitive development in children.
By teaching proper nasal breathing and correcting tongue posture, myofunctional therapy can help open and strengthen the airway. This improves overall breathing patterns, particularly during sleep, when airway obstruction is more common. Stronger, well-trained orofacial muscles help maintain an open airway, reducing the risk of sleep-disordered breathing and ensuring that children get the restorative sleep they need to grow and thrive.
