Facial Growth and Development

 

Proper breathing and tongue placement is essential to how our face and skull grows and develops. When the tongue is in the correct position, it encourages the roof of the mouth to grow forward and outward. The upper jaw (maxilla) is what determines how our faces grow. The lower jaw is dependent on where the maxilla is positioned. If the maxilla is narrow or deficient, the jaw will grow vertically making the face grow long. Having a low tongue posture (due to a tongue-tie, open mouth posture or mouth-breathing) results in a deficiency in the maxilla, including other mid-facial skeletal structure and muscle tone.

Examples of facial conditions resulting from a deficient mid-facial skeletal structures are:

  • Narrow and vaulted palate

  • Crowded teeth

  • Long, narrow face

  • Under-defined cheek bones

  • Flatter face

  • Facial asymmetry

  • Elevated nostrils

  • A short upper lip

  • Small lower jaw

  • Forward head posture

  • Dowager’s hump

  • Gummy smile

  • Dark circles under the eyes

  • Visible sclera (white part of eye) under the iris

  • Downturned Canthi (sleepy and droopy eyes)

Forward head posture and Dowager's hump is a physical result of one's attempt to open airway. (think of evolution).

Forward head posture and Dowager’s hump is a result of shallow breathing and an attempt to maintain an open airway

 
A gummy smile is a result a deficient maxilla that grows vertically

A gummy smile is a result a deficient maxilla that grows vertically

 
No sclera should be showing above or below the iris. The maxilla makes up a large portion of the orbit of the eye. When the maxilla is deficient, it remains narrow and the soft palate grows long/vertically pulling the lower muscles of the eyes.

No sclera should be showing below the iris. The maxilla makes up a large portion of the orbit of the eyes. When the maxilla is narrow, the soft palate grows vertically pulling the lower muscles of the eyes down and exposing sclera.

 
When the outer corners of the eyes are lower than the inside corners, the eyes will have a “droopy” appearance. A wide maxilla gives support to the orbit of the eyes including the soft tissue around it; Therefore, a droopy-eyed appearance often indi…

A droopy-eyed appearance often indicates maxillary deficiency. When the outer corners of the eyes are lower than the inside corners, the eyes will have a “droopy” appearance. A wide maxilla gives support to the orbit of the eyes including the soft tissue around it.

How orofacial myofunctional therapy can help

 

Early intervention and correction in children can help guide the face to grow optimally.