WHAT IS MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPY?

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Myofunctional therapy is a personalized, exercise-based program designed to support healthy oral and facial function through the retraining and integration of breathing, tongue posture, lip seal, oral rest posture, and functional movement patterns.

Therapy focuses on improving the coordination and function of the muscles of the face, tongue, lips, and airway to help establish more efficient and sustainable patterns that support overall oral function and airway health.

Myofunctional therapy is often incorporated into collaborative care involving orthodontics and oral-facial development. Functional patterns such as breathing, tongue posture, oral rest posture, and oral-facial muscle coordination may influence oral function, oral development, and long-term treatment stability.

Some orthodontic providers use the term “myofunctional orthodontics” to describe an interdisciplinary approach that considers both structural development and functional oral-facial patterns as part of treatment planning.

Children and adults experiencing concerns related to breathing, oral function, oral habits, tongue posture, sleep quality, oral rest posture, jaw tension, or functional movement patterns may benefit from myofunctional therapy.

Because breathing, posture, oral function, and development are interconnected, therapy is often incorporated into broader collaborative care approaches depending on individual needs.

Oral rest posture refers to the natural resting position of the tongue, lips, and jaw when not eating or speaking.

Ideally, the lips remain gently closed, the tongue rests against the palate, and breathing occurs through the nose. Healthy oral rest posture supports oral function, airway health, facial development, and overall muscle balance.

Mouth breathing occurs when breathing primarily takes place through the mouth instead of the nose.

Chronic oral breathing patterns may influence oral rest posture, sleep quality, oral-facial development, muscle balance, and overall oral function. Myofunctional therapy may help support healthy nasal breathing patterns as part of collaborative care when appropriate.

Yes. Myofunctional therapy may benefit both children and adults.

Adults often seek therapy for concerns related to breathing patterns, oral function, tongue posture, jaw tension, sleep quality, oral habits, or interdisciplinary airway-focused care.

Myofunctional therapy is often incorporated into collaborative care involving providers such as airway dentists, orthodontists, ENTs, sleep medicine providers, physical therapists, chiropractors, speech therapists, vision specialists, and other integrative healthcare professionals depending on individual needs. 

Myofunctional therapy does not replace CPAP or medical treatment for sleep-related breathing disorders. However, therapy may help support nasal breathing, oral rest posture, lip seal, and overall oral-facial function, which may improve comfort and adaptation for some individuals using prescribed CPAP therapy as part of collaborative care. 

No. While myofunctional therapy is commonly associated with pediatric oral development, adults may also benefit from therapy. 

Palatal expansion focuses on structural development, while myofunctional therapy focuses on functional patterns.

Because structure and function are interconnected, therapy may help support the development and integration of healthy breathing, tongue posture, oral rest posture, and oral-facial muscle function throughout treatment.

No. Myofunctional therapy and palatal expansion serve different purposes and may be used together as part of collaborative care depending on individual needs.

Palatal expansion addresses structural development, while myofunctional therapy focuses on functional oral and facial patterns such as breathing, tongue posture, lip seal, and muscle coordination.