Myofunctional Therapy

Myofunctional therapy is a non-invasive treatment that retrains the muscles of the mouth, tongue, and face to improve breathing, swallowing, speech, and facial development, helping reduce issues like speech delay, sleep apnea and dental misalignment.

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Myofunctional Therapy and it's Role in Promoting Healthy Kids

Have you noticed your child do any of the following?

Have their lips apart during the day or breathing through their mouth
Sucks their thumb, pacifier or other fingers for long periods
Chews or swallows loudly
Breathes loudly when asleep

These are just a few examples of oromyofunctional disorders (OMDs) that can negatively affect your childs health both now, through their development and into their adult life. What may seem harmless now can lead to speech delays, sleep disturbed breathing and sleep apnea, irregular jaw growth and crooked teeth.

Early intervention with myofunctional therapy can also contribute to better sleep quality, improved airways, improved focus, and enhanced social interactions by addressing underlying behavioral issues tied to poor oral habits.

How Myofunctional Therapy Works for Children

The therapy typically involves a series of customized exercises and behavior modification techniques designed to retrain the muscles and promote proper habits. Sessions are often led by a trained therapist, such as a speech-language pathologist or dental professional, and may include activities to enhance muscle tone, coordination, and sensitivity in the lips, tongue, cheeks, palate, and jaw. It's non-invasive and can be adapted for kids as young as 2-5 years old, with exercises made fun and engaging to encourage participation. Treatment duration varies but often spans several weeks to months, with home practice to reinforce progress.

Improve Your Child's Oral Health with Myofunctional Therapy: 5 Key Benefits

Improved Breathing and Sleep: It promotes nasal breathing over mouth breathing, which can reduce symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) by strengthening orofacial muscles and improving airway function.
Better Swallowing and Eating: Corrects improper swallowing patterns (like tongue thrusting), aiding in proper digestion and reducing risks of choking or messy eating.
Enhanced Speech and Communication: Helps with articulation issues, lisp, or other speech disorders by optimizing tongue and lip movements.
Dental and Facial Development: Supports proper jaw alignment, bite, and facial symmetry, potentially preventing the need for orthodontics later.
Overall Health and Behavior: Can lead to better focus, reduced behavioral issues tied to poor sleep, and improved social interactions by boosting confidence in speaking and eating.