Ameera Sulaman - Dental & Myofunctional Therapist
Ameera Sulaman was born in Durban, South Africa. She graduated from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal as a Dental Therapist in 2021. She continued her education in Myofunctional Therapy through the American Academy of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy.
After matriculating in 2018, Ameera began teaching Maths and English at KUMON Musgrave after completing her training.
Through her work she observed open mouth posture in her students. Her qualification in Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy made her realise that mouth breathing in various children needed to be urgently addressed.
What is Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy?
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy is an exercise-based program. It is designed to restore proper function of the orofacial muscles.
It addresses a wide range of health problems and conditions such as snoring, sleep disordered breathing, mouth breathing, TMJ, TMD, grinding of teeth, Malocclusion, pain in the head and neck region, thumb sucking, nail biting (other oral habits), speech articulation, orthodontic relapse, postural issues, drooling, allergies, bedwetting, reflux, craniofacial growth and appearance.
There are four goals of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy: The Correct Tongue Posture, Nasal Breathing, Lip Seal and the Correct Swallowing Pattern.
The benefits of meeting these goals may include improved breathing, reduced nasal congestion, improved sleep, reduced head and neck pain, reduced allergies, reduced TMI pain, improved posture, speech and orthodontic results.
It is important to remember that the results of treatment are highly dependent on patient compliance throughout therapy.
Myofunctional Therapy Sessions:
A consultation is mandatory thereafter a treatment plan will be established, and sessions can begin. Therapy Sessions can be done in person or virtually. These appointments are 20-30 minutes long.
Consultation Fee - R550 this includes a formal report (after 3 months of weekly sessions).
Therapy Session Fee - R250 per session
Therapy sessions include personalised myofunctional exercises and activities. Each week the patient will receive a set of exercises. We will review the exercises from previous sessions, begin new ones and evaluate symptoms. The Myofunctional Appliance needs to be used in addition to the exercises. We also incorporate a 30-day challenge to help build change and eliminate the habits. The exercises need to be done every day for 30-days in a row, without missing even 1 day.
Many people don't understand the importance of the relationship between Posture and Function related to their child's growth.
The 30-day challenge trains the brain and the body to know how to be in the correct resting posture. The resting posture of the tongue significantly impacts facial growth. We also incorporate core strengthening into our sessions.
How does core strength relate to oral structures (lips, jaws, tongue)?
A weak oral core can also contribute to difficulty with breathing, poor posture and speech. Weak oral structures (lips, jaws, tongue) could be due to a weak oral core. Your oral core provides stability and control for other muscles to work effectively.
A Strong Oral Core = Strong Oral Muscles = better Speech, better Posture, better Breathing
The number of sessions needed are case specific. Our therapy sessions are designed to achieve the four goals of OMT: nasal breathing, lip seal, tongue posture and a proper swallowing pattern. Achieving each of these goals is dependent on patient compliance throughout therapy.
Myofunctional therapy often works best as a multidisciplinary approach. Orofacial Myofunctional Therapists work in collaboration with Orthodontists, Dentists, Medical Doctors, Naturopaths, Chiropractors, Speech Language Pathologists, ENT's, Craniosacral Specialists and Occupational Therapists and psychologists. We will direct you to the best medical professionals depending on your specific needs.
Services offered:
Myofunctional Therapy Sessions, Myofunctional Assessments, Consultations, Scale & Polish, Teeth Whitening.
For more information:
Cell: +27 (81) 868 1672
Email: appointmentdrs@gmail.com
Instagram: @thedentagram