Myofunctional Therapy and Facial Cosmesis: Position Paper

Conclusion: ln summary, until speculation is verified or rejected by data, I will continue to. emphasize in therapy the cosmetic and psychosocial benefits of improved oral posturing. I have found this emphasis to be particularly motivating with my teenage clients. These psychosocial benefits can be coupled with the more physical considerations reported by Rubin (1980) in his article titled: "Mode of respiration and facial growth." Those of us who struggle rather constantly to improve tongue resting postures in our patients, when no significant physiological basis exists for the poor habit, can perhaps be greatly aided by appealing to the vanity most people possess. Perhaps the background provided by this paper regarding hu­man judgment of facial cosmesis and other psycho­social attributes will provide some foundation for this aspect of your therapy.