Meet Alicia, the super skilled specialist and biz owner behind My Myo Matters, a holistic Orofacial Myology Therapy practice in Moss Vale
Recently we got jaw-flapping with Alicia from My Myo Matters, to talk about well… jaws! That’s because Alicia is an Orofacial Myology Therapy specialist who basically lives and breathes jaws, mouths, teeth, and all the other orofacial stuff.
Her biz- My Myo Matters in Moss Vale is not only servicing us Highlanders but patients from around the state, as they head to her for a range of orofacial needs.
We were curious to learn more about Alicia, her journey into Orofacial Myology, and what exactly Orofacial Myology entails. Check out our convo below.
1:: Hey there Alicia, tell us a bit about yourself.
Well, I’m Highlands born and bred. My parents moved from the UK straight to Bundanoon before I was born and we’ve been here ever since. I moved away to Sydney for a couple of years but the call of the Highlands was just too strong and I came back.
I’ve been in the dental industry for more than 20 years and have been working as a dental hygienist for over 13 of them. I work for a world-renowned orthodontist, Dr. Derek Mahony and I have a bachelor of oral health and a graduate diploma in dental sleep medicine.
In my time working I’ve always been interested in looking at the jaw and face more holistically. That’s what led me down the path of Orofacial Myology and eventually my business My Myo Matters.
2:: OK Alicia, spill the beans, what exactly is Orofacial Myology Therapy?
Alicia: Orofacial Myology Therapy can also be known as OMT, Myo or even Myofunctional Therapy- basically it’s retraining the muscles of the face and the neck to work how they should. There are four goals that we work on in OMT; nasal breathing, lip seal, making sure the tongue is resting in the top of the mouth and the correct swallow pattern.
3:: And what does a face or neck not working properly look like?
Alicia: So, if you find your mouth breathing, thumb sucking, snoring, suffering from sleep apnoea, maybe you’ve got jaw or facial aches, you’re teeth grinding, tongue ties, speech and swallowing issues, even tummy troubles, the list goes on. These can all be signs that your face and neck aren’t doing their job right and you could really benefit from OMT.
4:: Sounds like a fair few of us could benefit, is that right?
Yep, I treat ages from 4 to 104. You’d be surprised how many of us could benefit from treatment.
Think about things like where your tongue is sitting at the moment, is it at the top of your mouth or not? If it’s not then it’s worth popping in for a consult. What about your breathing? Is it through your nose or mouth? If you said mouth, again OMT could be the solution.
Orofacial Myology is all about helping people of all ages, from kids to grown-ups, by addressing both the symptoms and the root cause. When we team up with our patients, their parents, and other healthcare experts, we can achieve some truly fantastic results.
5:: And what does treatment look like?
Alicia: Essentially, you’re retraining the muscles in your face and neck. Exercises need to be done twice daily and appointments with me are fortnightly. It’s all about targeting those goals I mentioned earlier. It might be something like a cheek puffing exercise or even balloon blowing. No patient’s needs are the same so I tailor my plans to meet them holistically.
A standard treatment plan is usually around 12 appointments but if we’re working with something more complex you might need a little longer. After you’re done with the intensive stuff, patients go into a maintenance phase, we still have appointments but less frequently, just to make sure everything’s going as it should be.
I have a lot of patients who travel from further away because there’s no one to help with OMT where they live. I do lots of telehealth consults for them as well and have created videos for them to use at home. I want to keep things interesting for them.
6:: What do you reckon you love most about working in Orofacial Myology?
It’s amazing the achievements that come with these exercises. It still blows me away how much OMT can do for your face and neck, your breathing, the way your lips close, your tongue and your overall well-being and health. When your facial muscles work together like they should it makes a world of difference for your breathing, your eating and even your sleeping. I really believe we’re changing lives.
7:: Amazing! Do you have any memorable moments that you’d like to share with us?
I remember treating a 14-year-old boy who travelled all the way from the South Coast. He had quite a large gap between his top and bottom teeth, 16mm actually, he worked with me alongside his osteopath and orthodontist and together we got it down to 4mm. It improved his whole facial profile and was a huge success.
There was another girl I worked with who had a tongue thrust, meaning her tongue was pushing forward more than usual causing an open bite. Again, I worked with her osteo and dentist and now it’s pretty much closed.
I’ve also worked with little ones to stop thumb sucking, it’s really important to get on that quickly because if you don’t it can lead to orthodontic treatment later on down the track. Early intervention is key!
8:: And of course, we gotta ask. What do you love about living and working in the Southern Highlands?
Alicia: It’s home to me, I’m a country girl and I wouldn’t wanna be anywhere else. I love riding horses, volunteering with the SES and doing foster care work. The community here is great and I’m just glad to be part of it.
We’re glad you’re part of it too! Thanks for taking the time to chat with us today Alicia, keep up the incredible work.
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