Orofacial Myology

Improve Breathing, Eating, Speech & Sleep with Orofacial Myology

At PhysioMotion Cairns, we offer specialised Orofacial Myology (OFM) and Myofunctional Therapy to help children and adults improve breathing, eating, speaking, and sleeping. Our experienced physiotherapist Amelia provides assessment and treatment for tongue ties, lip ties, mouth breathing, feeding difficulties, speech concerns, and sleep disordered breathing. If you or your child are experiencing challenges with oral function, Orofacial Myology may help address the underlying cause — not just the symptoms.

What is Orofacial Myology?

Orofacial Myology (OFM) is a specialised area of therapy focused on the muscles of the face, mouth, tongue, and jaw.
These muscles play a critical role in everyday functions including:

• Breathing
• Eating and swallowing
• Speaking
• Sleeping

When these muscles are not working optimally, it can lead to a range of functional difficulties and developmental concerns.
Orofacial Myology uses targeted exercises and therapy techniques to:

• Improve tongue, lip, and jaw function
• Promote nasal breathing
• Establish proper oral resting posture
• Support healthy facial growth and development
• Improve jaw pain and jaw stability

At PhysioMotion Cairns, Amelia is trained in Orofacial Myology and provides personalised treatment plans tailored to each patient.

What is an Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder (OMD)?

An Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder (OMD) occurs when there is an abnormal position or movement of the tongue, lips, or jaw during rest, swallowing, or speech. OMDs can impact a person’s ability to breathe, eat, speak, and sleep effectively.

Signs & Symptoms of Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders

You or your child may benefit from Orofacial Myology if you notice:

Breathing & Sleep

• Mouth breathing
• Snoring
• Frequent waking or poor sleep quality
• Waking feeling unrefreshed
• Frequent illness or congestion
• Drooling
• Dark circles under the eyes
• Puffiness in the face

Eating & Feeding

• Messy eating or food falling out of the mouth
• Taking a long time to eat
• Chewing on one side only
• Difficulty biting into foods
• Gagging or choking
• Picky or fussy eating

Speech

• Lisp or unclear speech
• Difficulty with sounds such as “s”, “t”, “d”, “k”, “g”, “th”, “l”
• Swapping or altering sounds

Oral & Dental

• Teeth grinding or clenching
• Poor oral hygiene or increased tooth decay
• Jaw pain or clicking

Development & Behaviour

• Difficulty concentrating
• Poor posture
• Fatigue
• Difficulty with grades at school

Conditions We Treat

At PhysioMotion Cairns, we provide Orofacial Myology treatment for:

• Tongue tie assessment and management
• Lip tie and buccal (cheek) ties
• Mouth breathing
• Sleep-disordered breathing
• Feeding and picky eating difficulties
• Speech-related muscle dysfunction
• Jaw tension, clenching, and TMJ issues
• Postural and breathing dysfunction

Tongue Tie, Lip Tie & Buccal Tie

What is a Tongue Tie?

A tongue tie occurs when the tissue under the tongue (lingual frenulum) is too tight, restricting tongue movement and function.

What is a Lip Tie?

A lip tie is when the upper lip is restricted by tissue connecting it tightly to the gums, which can affect feeding and dental development.

What is a Buccal (Cheek) Tie?

A buccal tie occurs when the tissue between the cheeks and gums is tight, impacting eating, oral hygiene, and movement.

Symptoms of Tongue or Lip Tie

• Heart-shaped tongue tip
• Difficulty with speech sounds
• Messy eating
• Lip smacking
• Mouth breathing
• Swallowing air / bloating
• Gaps between teeth
• Difficulty maintaining oral hygiene

Tongue ties are often misdiagnosed or missed, as being able to stick the tongue out does NOT rule out a restriction. A proper assessment looks at:

• Tongue mobility
• Breathing patterns
• Speech
• Eating and swallowing function

Orofacial Myology Assessment

Your assessment at PhysioMotion Cairns includes:

• Detailed history and symptom discussion
• Assessment of tongue, lips, and jaw movement
• Breathing evaluation
• Swallowing and eating assessment
• Speech observation

Amelia will determine whether a tongue, lip, or buccal tie is present and provide guidance on appropriate management. If required, a referral can be made to a trusted release provider.

Treatment: How Orofacial Myology Helps

Orofacial Myology focuses on retraining muscle function to improve overall oral health and performance.

Treatment may include:

• Myofunctional exercises
• Tongue mobility and strengthening
• Lip and jaw coordination exercises
• Breathing retraining (nasal breathing)
• Postural correction
• Habit elimination (thumb sucking, nail biting)

Pre & Post Tongue Tie Release Therapy

If a tongue, lip, or buccal tie release is recommended, therapy is essential both before and after the procedure.

Pre-release therapy helps:

• Prepare muscles for new movement
• Improve mobility before release

Post-release therapy helps:

• Retrain the tongue to move correctly
• Improve strength and coordination
• Reduce tension and reattachment risk
• Improve overall outcomes

To find out more about Tonge and Lip Ties [Click here]

Orofacial Myology for Feeding & Picky Eating

Feeding difficulties can often be linked to oral muscle dysfunction. Signs your child may benefit include:

• Food spilling from the mouth
• Avoiding certain textures
• Chewing and spitting food out
• Difficulty biting into foods
• Jaw pain or clicking
• Messy eating
• Putting large amounts of food into the mouth before swallowing

Therapy helps to:

• Improve lip closure
• Increase tongue mobility
• Enhance chewing efficiency
• Reduce discomfort when eating
• Improve jaw stability

To find out more about Picking Eating [Click here]

Orofacial Myology for Breathing & Sleep

Proper breathing should occur through the nose, not the mouth.

Signs of poor breathing:

• Mouth breathing
• Tongue resting at the bottom of the mouth
• Snoring
• Dry lips
• Poor sleep quality
• Difficulty concentrating
• Waking feeling unrefreshed
• Frequent illness or congestion
• Drooling
• Dark circles under the eyes
• Puffiness in the face

Treatment focuses on:

• Retraining tongue resting position
• Improving nasal breathing
• Enhancing lip closure
• Supporting better sleep quality

To find out more about Mouth Breathing [Click Here]

Orofacial Myology for Speech

Orofacial Myology works alongside speech therapy to improve the physical function required for clear speech.

It helps with:

• Tongue strength and coordination
• Proper tongue positioning
• Lip control
• Breathing patterns for speech

Amelia works collaboratively with speech pathologists to achieve the best outcomes.

Who Can Benefit from Orofacial Myology?

Orofacial Myology can benefit people of all ages. At PhysioMotion Cairns, we commonly treat:

• Children (3+ years)
• Teenagers
• Adults
• Individuals with long-standing breathing or jaw issues

Early intervention can significantly improve long-term outcomes, particularly for children.

What Happens if These Issues Are Not Treated?

If left untreated, Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders may lead to:

• Ongoing speech difficulties
• Poor sleep and fatigue
• Mouth breathing habits
• Jaw development issues
• Narrow palate and dental crowding
• Persistent feeding challenges

Addressing these concerns early can prevent more complex issues later in life.