What is myofunctional therapy

Η Myofunctional Therapy, γνωστή και ως Myofunctional Therapyis a special type of therapy that works with the muscles of the face, jaw, lips and tongue.

The goal of Myofunctional Therapy is to correct or improve tongue and lip relationships, thereby allowing normal development of dental eruption and alignment. Therapy is given to help create, restore and maintain a normal and harmonious muscle environment. It can also improve muscle tone, speech, temporomandibular disorder, sleep disorders and sleep apnea, mouth breathing, and facial symmetry.

We design patient-specific programs to correct tongue disorders, chewing and swallowing, creating a normal space for the tongue, stabilizing the bite, preventing orthodontic relapse, facilitating nasal breathing, and eliminating harmful oral habits such as biting and licking the lips (lipophagia), onychophagia, etc.

We are excited to be the first to offer Myofunctional Therapy in Greece

Dr. Anastasia Vassiliou specializes in providing treatment for children and adults with muscle-functional disorders that include behaviors and patterns created by inappropriate muscle function and wrong habits involving the face and neck (tongue, lips, jaw), but also the hands, as well as body posture. But above all it pays great attention to prevention, both in the sleep and breathing of the pregnant woman, as well as in the infant.

It works closely with various branches of medicine, whose specialties are directly related to Myofunctional Therapy, such as dentists (maxillofacial surgeons, periodontists, prosthodontists), orthodontists, speech therapists, paediatricians, ENTs, midwives, breastfeeding consultants as well as with specialties that deal with with sleep medicine. Myology is an interdisciplinary approach to holistic patient care.

What are Myofunctional Disorders & what are the stages of Myofunctional Therapy

Myofunctional Disorders

Myofunctional Disorders can appear as symptoms, but over time they become chronic diseases.
Some of them are the following:

• Crooked teeth (caries / gingivitis / periodontitis)
• Teeth grinding or snoring
• Temporomandibular joint disorders (migraines / headaches / neck)
• Mouth breathing (swollen tonsils or meatus / crooked nasal septum)
• Difficulty breathing (asthma / shortness of breath)
• Sleep apnea or insomnia
• Difficulty concentrating and learning difficulties (ADHD)
• Bad posture Forward Head Posture (kyphosis / lordosis / scoliosis)
• Difficulty chewing, indigestion, irritable bowel
• Obesity or anorexia nervosa

Special attention should be paid to improper breathing and swallowing, as we have found that they can cause a variety of mechanical and extension biochemical problems, such as increased pressure, diabetes, autoimmune, and cancer.

Stages of Myofucntional Therapy

Myofunctional Therapy and rehabilitation are carried out
with individual/personal or group/family sessions..

In the 1st stage of the treatment, the interested party has the possibility to be diagnosed with the degree of dysfunction that he may have and through audio-visual means (videos & images) to be trained on the physiology-anatomy.

In the 2nd stage, we continue with training and strengthening through daily exercises, using neuromuscular reprogramming (neuroscience).

In the 3rd and final stage, through educational meals, he uses the neurons of imitation, and with the supervision of the doctor, he achieves the maintenance of the new model of operations.

In accordance with the saying "the best prevention is now", it is ideal to start treatment early.
For this reason, the doctor monitors at home, preparing and helping the new mother (ideally from pregnancy) with her sleep and breathing. Because, due to the conditions, the diaphragm rises higher and higher, with the result that breathing becomes more difficult. It also educates the mother how to breastfeed properly, the ways for the newborn to sleep properly, and how to properly introduce solid food after the infant is six months old. Then, he monitors the development of the infant and trains the whole family in the basic functions, which are necessary for the health of all members.

For proper breathing and sleep... the best prevention is now!
Because the first thousand days of man count!

Why should I do Myofunctional Therapy?

Because with Myofunctional Therapy we ensure:

• Normal dentofacial development, correct dental arches, with straight teeth
• Correct body posture
• Correct breathing, thus optimal oxygenation
• Good oral health
• Orthopedic functioning of the temporomandibular structure
• Stability in orthodontic treatment, (without extractions and relapses)
• Fewer sports injuries, better performance and greater endurance
• Good digestion
• Proper sleep
• Correct speech
• Beauty
• Health
• Good life
• Long life
• Happiness

Because... the best prevention is now!
Because every day of our lives counts!