New IJOM Article Alerts
From Infants to Adults: New Research and Educational Tools in Orofacial Myology
The International Journal of Orofacial Myology and Myofunctional Therapy (IJOM) has recently released a valuable resource article that offers clinicians new insights and practical tools for patient education, professional training, and clinical care.
- Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy for Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea—A Mixed Methods Study of Facilitators and Barriers to Treatment Adherence
Published this week, this mixed-methods study offers a rare examination of the patient experience in orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Twelve adults participated in a structured OMT program requiring three daily exercise sessions over 12 weeks. Ten participants then completed semi-structured interviews. The study reports:
- High adherence to the program requirements
- Modest improvements in self-reported sleep indicators
- Detailed, patient-generated insights into facilitators and barriers to treatment
Reference: Hansen, D. D., Tinbod, U., Feng, X., Dammen, T., Hrubos-Strøm, H., & Skirbekk, H. (2025). Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy for Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea—A Mixed Methods Study of Facilitators and Barriers to Treatment Adherence. International Journal of Orofacial Myology and Myofunctional Therapy, 51(2), 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijom51020006
This research provides an essentials perspective for clinicians seeking to improve program design, patient motivation, and long-term compliance.
- Visualizing the Consequences of Ankyloglossia
This paper presents both scholarly review and a professional-quality 3D animated video. The article describes the clinical importance of ankyloglossia from childhood through adulthood, reviewing current lingual frenulum assessment methods and outlining the process for creating the video. The video is accessible by scrolling past the abstract in the article.
The animation depicts potential impacts of tongue-tie on orofacial growth and swallowing function, making it an effective educational tool for:
- Patient and family counseling
- Training future providers in functional and structural implications of ankyloglossia
Reference: O’Connor-Reina, C., Rodriguez Alcala, L., Bosco, G., Martínez-Ruiz de Apodaca, P., Mackers, P., Garcia-Iriarte, M. T., Baptista, P., & Plaza, G. (2025). Clinical Consequences of Ankyloglossia from Childhood to Adulthood: Support for and Development of a Three-Dimensional Animated Video. International Journal of Orofacial Myology and Myofunctional Therapy, 51(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijom51010005
- Complementary Resource: Virtual Baby
This earlier publication features a highly detailed 3D video model demonstrating the anatomy and physiology of infant sucking and swallowing during breastfeeding.
The article explains the development process of the model and addresses common misconceptions about infant oral function. Like the ankyloglossia video, it can be accessed by scrolling below the abstract in the article.
Reference: Puccini, F. R., Gatti, M., Rodrigues, A. d. C., Rondon-Melo, S., Wen, C. L., Martinelli, R. L. d. C., & Berretin-Felix, G. (2022). Virtual Baby: 3D Model of the Anatomy and Physiology of Sucking and Swallowing in Infants as an Educational Tool. International Journal of Orofacial Myology and Myofunctional Therapy, 48(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.52010/ijom.2022.48.1.4
A Visual Journey from Infancy to Adulthood
Viewed together, the Virtual Baby and Ankyloglossia Consequences videos create a comprehensive visual sequence showing swallowing development and changes from infancy through adulthood. Both resources are available for educational reuse with proper attribution and links to their original sources, offering clinicians and educators valuable materials for presentations, training, and patient engagement.
Explore the articles and videos:
- Hansen et al., 2025 – OMT for OSA
- O’Connor-Reina et al., 2025 – 3D Ankyloglossia Video
- Puccini et al., 2022 – Virtual Baby Video
