Orofacial Myology
Tongue Tie Consults
Tongue ties are also known as the following: ankyloglossia, restricted lingual frenulum, and tethered oral tissues (TOTS) to name a few. A restriction can also occur on the upper or lower lip as well as between the cheek and the gum (buccal ties). These can affect feeding as well as speech.
Signs and symptoms of a tongue tie include (but are not limited to) reflux, torticollis, feeding issues, digestion concerns, sleep apnea, speech issues, TMJ, posture changes, and orthodontic issues (and more). The ties restrict muscle function which in turn causes compensation with other muscles and can cause pain.
Feeding/Swallowing Assessments
We assess for sensory issues with feeding (limited food choices) and kids who will only eat a certain brand/type/color of food only if it is a certain way and NO other way.
We assess oral/motor skills associated with feeding to see if there are any structural abnormalities or muscles tightness causing feeding concerns.
We help children who have been on a g-tube/NG tube to wean off and assess swallow function adequately to determine the safest and least restrictive diet.
Help new parents with breast or bottle feeding concerns
Thumb/Finger Sucking Elimination Program
We have a structured thumb and finger sucking elimination program for children 4 years of age and up. It involves a combination of behavior/reward modification and physical supports. Contact us to learn more!
Incorrect Placement (forward placement) for speech sounds
The only sound in the English language that should be forward (between the teeth) is the /th/ sound (as in “the” or “teeth”). With forward tongue placement, the /s/ and /z/ are sometimes distorted along with the /t/, /d/, /n/ and /l/ phonemes. This can cause difficulty with others understanding conversational speech. We can help with this!
Teeth Grinding
Teeth grinding can happen due to the instability of the mouth (ex: the tongue does not rest in the upper palate, so the teeth clench to compensate and give stability). We do a full assessment to see why teeth grinding may be occurring.
Orthodontic Relapse
After orthodontic work, if the teeth move back to where they were prior to ortho, the tongue rest posture may be the culprit. By re-training the tongue to rest where it should rest and eliminating the pressure on the teeth, orthodontic care can be successful.