At Primal Air we follow the treatment plan recommendations of Joy Moeller one of the premier orofacial myofunctional therapists and teachers. Her organization Academy of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy, AOMT, teaches hundreds of practitioners a year. She still sees clients in her California practice, after thirty years of practice. We use her protocol matched to everyone’s condition. We work off the strengths and weaknesses of each individual client.
The individualized treatment plan uses a series of techniques that mildly confuses the muscles and opens the neuromuscular pathways. This
makes it easy to set up new habits that feature open airways and nasal breathing, proper swallowing, and surprise benefits. he sequence starts with 8 weekly appointments, they can be virtual using telemedicine (HIPAA compliant video conferencing) for long distance clients. Then you’ll graduate to every other week, then monthly visits either in person or virtually.
Here’s the best part; if it hurts we back off! This is not a sweating, feel the burn treatment plan. Muscles of the face respond to light work. We use simple tools like balloons, chewing gum, pencils, and buttons on a string.
AOMT Protocol - Habit Reversal Therapy
Records Appointment (AKA Intake Appointment)
Over the 60-90 minutes of this appointment we’ll get to know each other. At Primal Air, we take great joy in seeing our clients successes. After practicing as a dental hygienist for over 25 years, Shirley has a direct way of talking to clients. She will show you want she’s seeing and what it’s good or not so good.
She’ll take lots of pictures, and some measurements; including blood pressure, neck circumference, and the distance between your premolar teeth.
Sometime something on your health history will trigger a non OMT thought. Perhaps your breathing is compromised with stuffiness. We may recommend a dairy vacation for a couple of weeks. If it’s something more complex we’ll make a referral to a physician or chiropractor, or, well, we’ll see. We collaborate with all kinds of practitioners.
Performance Breathing
Do you get tired doing housework? Would you like to bike more but you’re just too tired? Want to improve your stamina during any activity? That’s what the Primal Air Performance Breathing system is all about. Following the techniques and protocols from Buteyko Clinic International and the book The Oxygen Advantage we can help you feel like you can get more air.
Meet with our practitioners for five weeks to learn how to straighten out your breathing to improve stamina. The Buteyko breathing was developed to help those with asthma. Call today to schedule your breathing retraining, so you can shop, vacuum, shovel the driveway this winter, or go the extra distance on your bike, hike, walk, basketball game, boxing, mountain climbing or anything else you want to do.
Tongue Tie Therapy
Can you stick your tongue out past your teeth? If you can’t it could be because your tongue is tied by tissue on the floor of your mouth. Sometimes it’s short, or attached too far forward, and that can create all kinds of symptoms.
Sometimes the tongue-tie is released when the person is an infant. Lots of myofunctional therapists work with infants. At Primal Air, we like kids that are five or older. If the tie is severe enough it must be released by a gentle dental procedure. But OMT is critical in getting the mouth ready for the procedure, and to make sure the healing goes well. Because it’s the mouth healing goes pretty fast and the tie can reattach unless you work really hard at the techniques. We’ll help you do that.
If you’re already an adult we may have more work to do to overcome some of the compensations you’ve acquired over your lifetime. We can’t know that unless we see you.
For children, not infants, we may be able to help in as little as three appointments.
Dry Mouth Protocols
So many people have dry mouth! Most dry mouth is caused by medication, but mouth breathing can also cause dry mouth. Sleeping with your mouth open is right up there too, so snoring can cause dry mouth. Regardless of the reason for the dry mouth Primal Air can help! We have techniques and products that can improve the moisture in your mouth, whether it’s due to an auto immune disease, medication, or mouth breathing/snoring.
For basic medication induced dry mouth we’ll suggest products and some techniques that can improve your salivary flow. A dry mouth is at high risk for decay and periodontal disease. Primal Air practitioners are dental hygienists who know a lot about dealing with dry mouth. Add to that myofunctional training and a heightened understanding of the muscles and how they work, you can really live better. It may just take a couple of virtual appointments after a complete intake.
TMJ
Does your jaw joint hurt? Have you tried everything your dentist has to offer? Maybe it’s due to a myofunctional disorder. Let us take a look.
Our myofunctional therapy treatment plan for TMJ pain doesn’t include pills or appliances. We can do a lot by taking a look the features and functions of the muscles surrounding and supporting the joint. Sometimes it’s a restricted tongue putting pressure on the system. Call today for a complimentary intake appointment and treatment plan that often makes a difference for the better. Not bragging but we’ve even been able to get fibromyalgia patient off her pain meds.
Before you take a Botox injection for pain, let us take a look and develop a treatment plan that is proven to support the joint and decrease or eliminate pain.
Pre-Orthodontic Protocols
Are you ready for braces? Has your dentist told you to “save up” because your child will need braces in the future? Now is the time to intervene!
We live by a few little sayings at Primal Air, one is Triple F or Form Follows Function. The other is Muscle Moves Bone. If your or your child has a tongue that’s not being used correctly; or has a habit that includes thumb, finger, or shirt sucking, we may be able to help and eliminate the need for orthodontic treatment in the future.
We have a proven system for eliminating sucking habits. We can help you identify the elusive tongue tie! Primal Air therapists are here to help get the function right so the form follows the DNA expression of that body part. We know how to get the muscles of the face to work harmoniously so that the pressures balance and teeth have a higher chance of coming in straight. The process cannot start too early.
Call our office today! We have great hours that match your school calendar for in-person or virtual appointments!
E: [email protected] | Ph: (608) 318-2800