EARLY DEVELOPMENT
MOT & Development
Oral development begins with feeding. Environmental conditions and the decisions we make as parents will have an affect on the oral-facial growth and development of our child. The development of a baby’s mouth and facial features can potentially be negatively affected by choosing between breastfeeding and bottle feeding. Some mothers choose not to breastfeed. Others want to but are unable to.
Premature babies often get tube-fed, which can encourage the development of a narrow palate. Birth traumas can lead to increased feeding issues, breathing concerns, and craniofacial development. Whatever the choice, it’s important to know the affects to better understand the symptoms.
Breast Feeding VS. Bottle Feeding
Breastfeeding provides nutritional benefits. It is also influential for proper facial growth and development. It helps shape the palate and jaws for proper facial growth. Breastfeeding promotes nasal breathing, trains the tongue to rest on the palate by applying pressure to the nipple, and requires more muscle control and coordination, which helps prevent speech problems.
Bottle feeding can cause similar issues to oral habits such as prolonged pacifier use, thumb or finger sucking, and prolonged sippy cup use. It keeps the mouth and lips open, keeps the tongue resting low, and encourages an incorrect tongue thrust swallowing pattern. All of which contribute to myofunctional problems and can lead to sleep apnea in adults. Bottle feeding tends to shape the palate into a higher V-shape,” leading to the need for orthodontic care. It also requires less muscle coordination as the muscles do not have to work as hard, which causes a lack of muscle tone and the ability for the lips to stay closed.
Tongue ties and lip ties, or a combination of both, can contribute to the following issues:
Ear Infections
Speech Concerns
It is important to understand how the type of feeding and sucking behaviour strongly influences the growth and development of a baby’s dental and facial characteristics. The oral development of motor structures is reflected in craniofacial development and dentition. This association is a potential risk factor for speech disorders in children.
Myofunctional therapy is NOT speech therapy; however, OMT focuses on the muscle placement and tongue position needed for speech.
A lisp is the most common problem associated with myofunctional symptoms. Several sounds require the tongue to elevate to the palate, roll back and elevate to the palate, or require lip closure. Low posture, tongue tie, mouth breathing, and open mouth posture can affect the pronunciation of the letters “S”, “T”, “D”, “N”, “L”, “B”, “P”, “M” and “R”, and can contribute to a lack of clarity, mumbling, and minimal voice projection.
FAQ'S
Our myofunctional therapy services focus on correcting improper tongue posture, improper breathing, and swallowing patterns to improve overall health and well-being. Whether you struggle with mouth breathing, snoring, or sleep apnea, our team of professionals can help you breathe easier and live better. We help you achieve optimal function and a healthy airway with personalized care and innovative therapy techniques.
Dental hygienists are prevention specialists. Our primary role is to provide preventive and therapeutic clinical care, education, and health promotion to help improve the oral health of our clients. More time is booked to allow proper and thorough care without feeling rushed or part of a production line. We provide flexible hours and the availability to get in sooner for appointments to ensure that clients maintain their ideal interval schedule so that their overall health is not jeopardized.
Our priority is to build rapport with our clients by taking the time to get to know them and listen to their concerns and goals. We genuinely want to elevate our clients to their personal best in aspects of their oral health to achieve optimal health.
Our intention is to alleviate anxiety by providing a comfortable, relaxing setting that brings serenity and calmness to a spa-like experience. We use the newest technology with EMS-guided biofilm therapy, which is minimally invasive, effective, and gentle on the teeth and soft tissues with a heating system with an adjustable water temperature for client comfort.
At your initial appointment, a comprehensive assessment and examination will be performed. This includes reviewing medical and dental history, performing an oral cancer screening, a dry mouth assessment and other risk assessments, a periodontal examination to assess the health of the gums and the bone that supports the teeth, and taking a series of intra-oral photos. Attention will be given to the client's needs, concerns, and goals, which will be considered while designing the treatment plan. Based on the results of this assessment and diagnosis, a client-specific treatment plan will be made with the intention of helping the client achieve a healthy, maintainable oral health status.