What Is Myofunctional Therapy and How Does It Work?

If you've ever heard the term myofunctional therapy and thought, "That sounds complex!" — you're not alone. But despite its scientific-sounding name, myofunctional therapy is a straightforward, non-invasive approach that addresses common problems related to the muscles of the face, mouth, and throat. And its results can be life-changing.

Whether you or your child struggles with mouth breathing, snoring, tongue thrusting, or even orthodontic relapse, myofunctional therapy could be the missing link.

What Is Myofunctional Therapy?

Myofunctional therapy is a type of physical therapy for the muscles of the face, tongue, mouth, and throat. It involves a series of exercises designed to retrain these muscles to work properly—promoting better breathing, swallowing, speaking, and even sleeping.

Think of it like physical therapy, but for your orofacial system.

How Does It Work?

The therapy focuses on four key goals:

1. Nasal breathing (instead of mouth breathing)

2. Proper tongue posture (tongue resting on the roof of the mouth)

3. Correct swallowing pattern

4. Lip seal (keeping the lips closed when not eating or speaking)

   
   

Clients work with a certified myofunctional therapist who teaches individualized exercises that are typically practiced daily over a series of weeks or months. These exercises are designed to:

• Strengthen weak muscles

• Break poor habits (like open-mouth posture or tongue thrust)

• Establish healthier patterns for breathing, swallowing, and speaking

  
  

The goal is to build muscle memory—so over time, these improved patterns become automatic.

What Conditions Can It Help With?

Myofunctional therapy can address a surprisingly wide range of conditions, especially those tied to oral and airway health. These include:

✨ Mouth Breathing

Chronic mouth breathing can lead to dry mouth, poor sleep, changes in facial development (especially in children), and more. Therapy helps retrain the body to breathe through the nose, which is essential for proper oxygen uptake and overall health.

✨ Sleep-Disordered Breathing (including snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnea)

By improving tone and function of the tongue and airway muscles, myofunctional therapy can reduce airway collapse during sleep—leading to less snoring and better rest.

✨ Tongue Thrust & Swallowing Disorders

Improper swallowing patterns, often seen as the tongue pushing against or between the teeth, can cause dental issues, speech problems, and orthodontic relapse. Therapy corrects the swallow reflex and strengthens tongue posture.

✨ Orthodontic Support

Myofunctional therapy can improve the long-term success of orthodontic treatment by stabilizing the oral muscles and supporting proper alignment—helping to prevent braces from needing to be redone later.

✨ Speech Disorders

In some cases, poor tongue posture or oral habits can interfere with speech sounds. Myofunctional therapy may complement speech therapy by addressing the muscular causes of certain issues.

✨ Tethered Oral Tissues (Tongue and Lip Ties)

Before and after a release procedure (frenectomy), therapy helps restore full function and prevent reattachment by ensuring the tongue and lips regain normal movement patterns.

What Happens in a Session?

A myofunctional therapy session typically includes:

• Assessment of your breathing, posture, oral habits, and tongue function

• Demonstration and practice of targeted exercises

• Instruction on at-home practice

• Progress tracking and plan adjustments

Consistency is key. Exercises are simple but must be practiced regularly for the brain and body to develop new, functional habits.

Why It Matters

When the muscles of the mouth and face are out of balance, it can lead to a cascade of problems—some subtle, some serious. Because these muscles play such a crucial role in breathing, sleeping, speaking, and chewing, getting them functioning properly can have ripple effects throughout the whole body.

Myofunctional therapy is safe, natural, and often effective alongside other treatments like orthodontics, speech therapy, chiropractic care, or ENT care.

Final Thoughts

If you're dealing with persistent issues like snoring, jaw tension, speech struggles, or chronic mouth breathing—myofunctional therapy may be worth exploring. It addresses root causes, not just symptoms, and helps you (or your child) build healthy habits that last a lifetime.

Sometimes, small changes in how we use our muscles can unlock major improvements in how we live, breathe, and sleep.

Think myofunctional therapy can help you? We offer this service virtually throughout the world and in person in Milwaukee and Mequon Wisconsin! Book an appointment today!

Book Now!