General Dentistry Airway Dentistry
Myofunctional Therapy & Sleep Apnea Treatment in Monroe, NJ
Myofunctional Therapy
Myofunctional therapy also known as orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) is a program that corrects improper functions of the tongue and facial muscles through exercises and awareness.
The primary 4 goals of therapy are:
- Strengthens Oral Muscles: toning the muscles around the mouth, throat, and tongue through exercise.
- Tongue Positioning: Proper tongue positioning, with the tongue resting against the roof of the mouth, can help the airway remain open.
- Nasal Breathing: By encouraging nasal breathing and minimizing mouth breathing, myofunctional therapy helps support proper airway functioning.
- Correct swallowing pattern: eliminate tongue thrust swallowing pattern.
What To Expect
Myofunctional therapy can be beneficial for people of all ages, and treatment is customized to the individual's age and symptoms.
Each session will involve practicing specific exercises guided by our trained myofunctional therapist.
These exercises might include movements to promote proper tongue placement, strengthen facial muscles, correct swallowing patterns, and improve breathing techniques.
A typical therapy program lasts about 6-7 months, and involves daily exercises at home 5 minutes twice a day and meeting in the office for therapy visits every other week.
Get the restful sleep you deserve
Does your partner complain about your loud snoring every morning? Do you often wake up
feeling tired or struggle to stay focused during the day? These are all signs you may
have obstructive sleep apnea or OSA.
At Monroe Dental Group, we understand how sleep apnea can impact your quality of life
once restful sleep goes out the window. Dr. Adam Klein and our skilled team are dedicated
to providing effective sleep apnea treatments in Monroe, NJ, to ensure you get a restful
night's sleep and boost your overall health.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. It happens
when your body relaxes during sleep, causing the muscles in your mouth and throat to soften.
If you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), your tongue falls back and blocks the airway,
leading to an interruption in oxygen, which causes your body to jolt you awake to breathe.
These episodes can occur hundreds of times a night, resulting in shallow breaths or repeated
pauses while you sleep. You may not notice it during sleep — most apnea sufferers don't have
a clue — but symptoms like loud snoring, morning headaches, daytime fatigue, and irritability
indicate your sleep is being disrupted.
If you leave OSA untreated, you're putting yourself at risk for more severe health issues such
as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and stroke.
Non-Invasive Sleep Apnea Treatment
Traditional sleep apnea treatments include Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines,
which can be loud and uncomfortable to sleep attached to. This is not really conducive to good
sleep… That is why your dentist should always be your first port of call! Dr. Klein can start
with non-invasive treatments like oral appliance therapy which utilizes custom mouthguards
(occlusal splints) to help your jaw and tongue stay in the correct position to prevent
sleep-disordered breathing.
What To Expect
Dr. Klein will take detailed impressions of your teeth to create a custom-fitted oral appliance
resembling a mouthguard. This device will adjust the position of your jaw and tongue while you
sleep to keep your airway open and reduce apnea episodes. It is common to experience some initial
discomfort or changes in your bite, but these typically fade as you get used to wearing the
appliance every night.
Do You Struggle with Sleep Apnea?
Please don't wait to seek treatment if you or a loved one are experiencing sleep apnea symptoms. At Monroe
Dental Group, we care about your overall health and well-being and will work with you and your physician
to determine the safest, most suitable solution to help you get a restful night's sleep.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the mouthguard slip out while I'm sleeping?
We often have patients expressing a lot of anxiety about their occlusal splints slipping out and
causing choking. You do not need to be concerned about this when consulting an experienced dentist
in Monroe, NJ, like Dr. Klein! We custom-make each night guard and check for a comfortable fit
before we send you home, making it almost impossible for your night guard to fall out during sleep.
How long does myofunctional therapy take to work?
Your therapist will put together an individual program for you, which you'll need to follow for
around 4 months, sometimes longer. Over and above your in-office sessions, you will need to commit
to doing the exercises for a few minutes up to 3 times a day. Most patients feel a dramatic
improvement at the 4-month mark.
What if I don't respond to non-invasive therapies?
Oral appliance therapy and myofunctional therapy are effective at treating mild-to-moderate
obstructive sleep apnea. If you are not responding to conservative measures, Dr. Klein can
refer you to a sleep medicine specialist who will recommend more advanced treatments.
Most of our patients, however, report an immediate improvement in their sleep quality and
a reduction in apnea episodes.
