Treatment Planning & Intervention Strategies Flashcards
7 cards from real COM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Treatment Planning & Intervention Strategies flashcards as text
When establishing treatment frequency for an adult patient with a chronic tongue thrust, which scheduling approach is most appropriate during the initial active phase?
Answer: Bi-weekly sessions for 4–6 weeks, then monthly
Bi-weekly sessions during the active phase allow sufficient practice time between appointments while maintaining therapeutic momentum, transitioning to monthly visits as habits stabilize.
A patient presents with a unilateral posterior crossbite and associated lateral tongue posture deviation. What is the correct sequence of intervention?
Answer: Refer to orthodontist first to expand the arch, then initiate myofunctional therapy
Arch expansion by the orthodontist must precede myofunctional therapy so the tongue has adequate arch width to achieve correct resting posture.
Which of the following best describes the 'maintenance phase' in an orofacial myofunctional treatment plan?
Answer: Infrequent check-ins to monitor carryover of correct patterns into function
The maintenance phase consists of periodic monitoring visits to confirm that newly learned orofacial patterns are being maintained across daily functions.
A 7-year-old child cannot achieve nasal breathing during sleep due to enlarged adenoids. What is the orofacial myologist's appropriate first action?
Answer: Refer to an ENT physician for evaluation before initiating therapy
Obstructive adenoids are a medical issue that must be assessed and treated by an ENT before myofunctional therapy for nasal breathing can be effective.
In a COM treatment plan, what is the PRIMARY purpose of including 'awareness exercises' in the early stages?
Answer: To help the patient consciously recognize incorrect muscle patterns they were previously unaware of
Awareness exercises help patients recognize existing dysfunctional patterns so that conscious correction and eventual automaticity of new patterns can occur.
A patient's treatment progress has plateaued after three months with no improvement in resting tongue posture. Which intervention adjustment is most appropriate?
Answer: Re-evaluate for underlying structural, physiological, or psychological barriers and modify the plan accordingly
A plateau signals the need to reassess for unresolved contributing factors such as airway obstruction, anatomical restriction, or compliance issues before modifying the exercise program.
When coordinating care with an orthodontist, at what point in orthodontic treatment should active myofunctional therapy ideally be COMPLETED?
Answer: Before orthodontic retention is discontinued
Active myofunctional therapy should be completed before retention ends so that correct neuromuscular patterns support long-term orthodontic stability.