Conditions that Myofunctional Therapy Supports

Mouth breathing can lead to various health issues because the nose serves important functions like filtering, warming, and humidifying the air we breathe. Mouth breathing bypasses these functions, potentially causing dry mouth, bad breath, dental problems, and even issues with the development of the face and jaw over time. It can also contribute to sleep disturbances and hinder the quality of your sleep.

OSA can have serious health consequences because it disrupts your normal breathing pattern during sleep. It can lead to decreased oxygen levels in the blood, which strains the heart and other organs. Over time, untreated sleep apnea can increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other health issues. Additionally, it can cause daytime sleepiness, impaired cognitive function, and decreased quality of life.

Bruxism, or teeth grinding, can sometimes be linked to airway issues. When the airway is obstructed during sleep, the body may grind the teeth as a way to open the airway and facilitate breathing. This connection is often seen in conditions like sleep apnea. Treating the underlying airway issue can sometimes alleviate bruxism.

An improper swallowing can affect various aspects of oral health and facial development. Myofunctional therapy aims to correct these issues through exercises and techniques that retrain the muscles of the mouth and face, improving swallowing, breathing, and overall function. It can be beneficial for conditions like tongue thrust, open bite, and speech difficulties.  Swallowing impairment can present itself as choking, acid reflux, stomach aches, gas, hiccuping and other digestive issues. An infant’s swallow develops at 20 weeks in utero.  These infants with swallowing issues are often diagnosed with acid reflux and this can very often be linked to an undiagnosed tongue-tie. Orthodontic relapse is another common issue with individuals with tongue thrust swallow patterns.

Myofunctional therapy can help by identifying a tongue-tie (if present) and retraining and establishing proper resting tongue posture and swallow patterns.

Tongue ties, medically known as ankyloglossia, is a condition where the tissue connecting the tongue to the floor of the mouth is shorter, thicker or attached in the wrong place, restricting movement and proper function of the tongue. Tongue ties can affect speech, feeding, and oral/craniofacial development. Myofunctional therapy aims to address issues related to tongue function, swallowing, and oral posture, often used in conjunction with other treatments like frenectomy (surgical release of the tongue tie).  Myofunctional therapy is a vital part of the success of the frenectomy. It can help improve breathing, swallowing, and speech patterns by retraining the muscles of the mouth and throat

Chronic head/neck/shoulder tension
Mouth Breathing
Digestive Issues
Food/texture aversions
Chronic ear infection
Poor Sleep/OSA/Snoring
Difficulty with certain sounds
Poor Posture

Tongue thrust is a condition where the tongue pushes against or between the teeth during swallowing, speech, or while the tongue is at rest. Myofunctional therapy involves exercises to correct improper tongue posture and function. It can help address issues like tongue thrust, speech difficulties, and swallowing problems.

Orthodontic relapse refers to the teeth shifting back to their original positions after orthodontic treatment. Myofunctional therapy focuses on correcting oral habits and muscle dysfunction that can contribute to orthodontic relapse, such as tongue thrusting or incorrect swallowing patterns. It aims to improve oral function and stability to maintain the results of orthodontic treatment.

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy can help address some digestive issues by improving oral and facial muscle function, which can impact swallowing and digestion. It focuses on exercises to correct tongue posture, swallowing patterns, and breathing habits, which can indirectly affect digestive health.

Toxic oral habits like thumb/finger sucking or tongue thrusting can impact oral health and facial development. Prolonged pacifier and/or bottle use, chewing on pens, blankets, shirts are also considered TOHs which can impair proper craniofacial growth. Early intervention with Myofunctional Therapy aims to correct these habits by retraining muscles in the mouth and face to improve function and alignment. It involves exercises and techniques to promote proper swallowing, breathing, and tongue posture.

Improved sleep and orofacial myofunctional therapy often go hand in hand. Myofunctional therapy focuses on exercises to strengthen the muscles of the face and mouth, which can improve breathing and reduce issues like snoring and sleep apnea. By addressing underlying issues like tongue posture and swallowing patterns, myofunctional therapy can contribute to better sleep quality and overall health.

Sleep-disordered breathing encompasses a range of conditions, including sleep apnea. Signs may include loud snoring, pauses in breathing during sleep, gasping or choking sounds, excessive daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, morning headaches, and irritability. Among others…

• Chronic congestion
• Chronic headaches
• Grinding/Clenching
• Snoring
• Allergy shiners (dark circles)
• Abnormal craniofacial development (long narrow face)
• Sleepwalking/talking/night terrors
• Chronic daytime fatigue
• ADHD diagnosis/behavior issues
• Prolonged bedwetting