OMD Orofacial-Myofunctional Disorders
Compensations, Parafunctions & Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMD’s) are dysfunctional mouth and face muscle patterns that interfere with normal growth and development, or function of the orofacial structures
Compensations
Dental compensations are developmental adjustments that work towards balance and is a constant on-going process striving towards homeostasis during growth and development.
Parafunctions
Oral parafunctions include bruxism, clenching, lip biting, thumb sucking, and any other oral habit not associated with mastication, deglutition, and speech. Bruxism and clenching are the most common of the parafunctional activities and have a prevalence of up to 90% in the general population.
Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMD’s)
OMD’s are often related to, or can contribute to a variety of medical and dental disorders. OMD’s are multifactorial in nature and often the consequence of a sequence of events or lack of intervention at critical periods, resulting in oral dysfunction, malocclusion, breathing disordered sleep and suboptimal jaw development.
OMD’s can be caused primarily by the following factors:
- A nasal airway obstruction due to enlarged tonsils/adenoids, deviated septum, and/or allergies,
- Improper oral habits such as thumb or finger sucking, cheek/nail biting, teeth clenching/grinding and tongue, lip or cheek sucking,
- Non-nutritive sucking like extended use of a pacifier and/or long-term use of sippy cups.
