What Is Myofunctional Therapy?
Myofunctional therapy is a type of therapy designed to correct oral and facial muscle function, often to improve issues related to breathing, chewing, swallowing, and speaking. It involves exercises and techniques to retrain the muscles of the face and mouth, particularly the tongue, lips, and cheeks.
In Functional Dentistry, myofunctional therapy plays a key role in addressing the root causes of oral health issues by improving muscle function. Myofunctional therapy is designed to address oral health and development-related problems such as mouth breathing, tongue thrusting, incorrect swallowing patterns, and poor posture of the tongue and lips. It can also help with conditions like sleep apnea, snoring, and certain speech disorders.
By improving muscle function, myofunctional therapy can:
- Enhance overall oral health
- Support proper dental and orthodontic outcomes
- Improve daily life by addressing sleep disorders and speech difficulties
Myofunctional therapy includes specific exercises to strengthen and coordinate the muscles involved in oral and facial function. These exercises are tailored to the individual’s needs and can be done at home or with the guidance of a trained therapist.
Myofunctional therapy is often used in conjunction with other treatments, such as orthodontics or speech therapy, to achieve the best results. It is often part of a treatment plan to prepare patients for the release of a tongue-tie or lip-tie.
If you think you might benefit from it, consulting with Dr. Radziszewski and Anita Uscinski, BS, RDH, is the first step towards addressing your concerns. She will conduct a comprehensive assessment of your teeth, gums, and jaw joints to understand your individual’s specific issues and create a personalized treatment plan.
What Does Myofunctional Therapy Treat?
Myofunctional therapy treats the symptoms of an orofacial myofunctional disorder (OMD). An OMD is often the result of improper breathing patterns (frequently mouth breathing) and bad oral habits that impact normal orofacial muscle function over time. Patients who have an OMD can exhibit or experience a range of symptoms.
Children can also have an OMD related to oral habits, such as thumb sucking, or oral development abnormalities, such as a tongue or lip tie. We see patients as young as 4 years old, and early intervention can be highly successful in supporting healthy development in a growing child.
Signs of orofacial disorders can include snoring, mouth breathing, teeth grinding, speech problems, and difficulty chewing and swallowing. Adult patients can show signs of an OMD in other ways, including poor posture, mood disorders, sleep apnea, and orthodontic relapse. Our team will work with you on an individual basis to identify symptoms, evaluate jaw joint function, and develop a comprehensive treatment plan.
The goal of your treatment plan is to address oral habits or dysfunction and restore the lips and tongue to a normal resting position. Improved posture, speech, and overall comfort will support a better quality of life for patients of all ages.