What Is Myofunctional Therapy?

Myofunctional therapy is a form of therapeutic intervention aimed at correcting improper functioning of the face, mouth, and tongue. By retraining these crucial muscles, myofunctional therapy addresses a wide array of conditions that, if left untreated, can lead to significant long-term health issues, including unresolved pain in the head and neck as well as speech challenges, snoring, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, mouth breathing, drooling, sleep issues and more.

This therapy is essential in promoting optimal oral posture, which directly influences breathing, chewing, swallowing, and even speech. The therapy aims to establish the correct resting posture, where the tongue is positioned against the roof of the mouth, the lips are closed, and nasal breathing is encouraged. Myofunctional therapy is often administered by specialized therapists, such as myofunctional therapists, speech therapists, and airway orthodontists, who have been trained in oral-motor function and its impact on overall health.

How Does Myofunctional Therapy Work?

Myofunctional therapy works by employing a series of exercises tailored to the individual’s specific needs. These exercises are designed to strengthen the tongue and facial muscles, improve coordination, and promote the correct posture. A typical therapy program includes:

Tongue Exercises

These exercises help in strengthening the dorsal tongue muscles and improving their coordination. Common exercises might involve pushing the tongue against the roof of the mouth with varying pressure or performing specific tongue movements.

Oral Rest Posture Training

Patients are taught to keep their tongue against the palate, lips sealed, and breathing through the nose. This posture reduces negative pressure within the oral cavity, promoting more stable and efficient breathing patterns.

Breathing Exercises

Techniques to encourage nasal breathing over mouth breathing are essential. Exercises might include deep diaphragmatic breathing and techniques to train the nasal passages to remain clear and open.

Swallowing Exercises

These activities ensure that the muscles involved in swallowing are functioning correctly. It can involve repetitive swallowing with proper tongue position and against a specific pressure or resistance.

Which Health Conditions Myofunctional Therapy Can Help With?

Myofunctional therapy addresses a variety of health conditions by rectifying dysfunctional oral and facial muscle patterns. These conditions may include:

Sleep Disordered Breathing

Improving muscle tone and promoting nasal breathing can significantly reduce occurrences of airway obstruction during sleep, which can improve symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).

Malocclusions

Correcting tongue posture and strength can influence dental arch development, often reducing the need for orthodontic interventions.

Tongue Tie (Ankyloglossia)

Following a tongue-tie release, myofunctional therapy can help re-educate the muscles for optimal function and improve outcomes.

Speech Disorders

Many speech challenges are linked to improper oral-muscle function. Myofunctional therapy helps ensure that speech production is optimal.

Digestive Issues

Proper swallowing mechanics can alleviate certain gastrointestinal distress linked to improper mastication and swallowing.

Breastfeeding Challenges for Babies

In babies, a tongue tie is often responsible for gassiness, reflux or colic because they cannot maintain suction when breastfeeding and instead swallow air.

Research Supporting the Use of Myofunctional Therapy

Numerous studies (see Sources & References, below), have documented the effectiveness of myofunctional therapy across various health conditions. Research has consistently shown that myofunctional therapy can significantly improve outcomes in patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, with some studies reporting a reduction in the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) scores and improvements in sleep quality.

Studies involving children with dental malocclusions have demonstrated that myofunctional therapy can effectively reshape dental arches and reduce the need for extensive orthodontic treatments. Additionally, myofunctional therapy has shown promise in treating speech disorders by improving the functionality of the orofacial muscles, leading to clearer and more accurate speech patterns.

Emerging research is focusing on the connection between myofunctional therapy and overall well-being, considering factors like emotional regulation, digestive health, and neurodevelopmental outcomes.

What to Expect from Myofunctional Therapy

Initiating a myofunctional therapy program typically begins with a thorough assessment by a trained licensed therapist such as a speech-language pathologist, registered dental hygienist, or occupational therapist. This assessment includes evaluating oral rest posture, tongue function, swallowing patterns, and overall muscle coordination. From this assessment, a personalized therapy plan is developed.

The therapy sessions involve guided exercises, which may be practiced during the sessions and as homework. Consistency is crucial for achieving desired outcomes, and patients may be required to practice exercises multiple times a day. Follow-up evaluations are critical to monitor progress and adjust the therapy plan as needed.

Patients often experience improvements in various facets of health, such as enhanced sleep quality, better speech clarity, and reduced orthodontic intervention needs. Engaging in myofunctional therapy early, especially in children, can lead to long-lasting positive health outcomes, reducing the risk of chronic issues related to improper oral function.

Myofunctional therapy offers a holistic approach to correcting orofacial muscular dysfunctions, with wide-ranging benefits that underscore the interconnectedness of oral health and overall wellness. Through consistent practice and professional guidance, patients can achieve significant improvements that contribute to their quality of life.

About Maria Rickert Hong CHHC

Maria Rickert Hong is a Co-Founder of, and the Education and Media Director for, Documenting Hope.

She is a former sell-side Wall Street equity research analyst who covered the oil services sector at Salomon Smith Barney and Lehman Brothers under Institutional Investor #1 ranked analysts.

Later, she covered the gaming, lodging & leisure sector at Jefferies & Co. and Calyon Securities. She quit working on Wall Street when her first son was born.

Prior to working on Wall Street, she was a marketing specialist for Halliburton in New Orleans, where she also received her MBA in Finance & Strategy from Tulane University.

She is the author of the bestselling book Almost Autism: Recovering Children from Sensory Processing Disorder and the co-author of Brain Under Attack: A Resource for Parents and Caregivers of Children with PANS, PANDAS, and Autoimmune Encephalitis. She is a co-author of Reversal of Autism Symptoms among Dizygotic Twins through a Personalized Lifestyle and Environmental Modification Approach: A Case Report and Review of the Literature, J. Pers. Med. 2024, 14(6), 641.

Maria is also a Certified Holistic Health Counselor. Her work can be found on DocumentingHope.com, Healing.DocumentingHope.com, Conference.DocumentingHope.com and MariaRickertHong.com

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Sources & References

Baxter, R., et al. Speech and Feeding Improvements in Children After Posterior Tongue-Tie Release: A Case Series. Intl Journal of Clinical Pediatrics. 2018 Sep,7(3):29-35.

Berry, J., et al. A double-blind, randomized, controlled trial of tongue-tie division and its immediate effect on breastfeeding. Breastfeed Med. 2012 Jun;7(3):189-93.

Bussi, M.T., et al. Is ankyloglossia associated with obstructive sleep apnea? Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2021 Nov 5;S1808-8694(21)00181-6.

Diaféria, G. et al. Myofunctional therapy improves adherence to continuous positive airway pressure treatment. Sleep Breath. 2017 May;21(2):387-395.

Edmond, A., et al. Randomised controlled trial of early frenotomy in breastfed infants with mild-moderate tongue-tie. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2014 May;99(3):F189-95.

Erturk, N., et al. The effectiveness of oropharyngeal exercises compared to inspiratory muscle training in obstructive sleep apnea: A randomized controlled trial. Heart Lung. 2020 Nov-Dec;49(6):940-948.

Ghaheri, B.A., et al. Breastfeeding improvement following tongue-tie and lip-tie release: A prospective cohort study. Laryngoscope. 2017 May;127(5):1217-1223.

Ghaheri, B.A., et al. Revision Lingual Frenotomy Improves Patient-Reported Breastfeeding Outcomes: A Prospective Cohort Study. J Hum Lact. 2018 Aug;34(3):566-574.

Guimarães, K.C., et al. Effects of oropharyngeal exercises on patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2009 May 15;179(10):962-6.

Harari, D., et al. The effect of mouth breathing versus nasal breathing on dentofacial and craniofacial development in orthodontic patients. Laryngoscope. 2010 Oct;120(10):2089-93.

Hesselbacher, S., et al. A Study to Assess the Relationship between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Adults. Cureus. 2019 Oct 24;11(10):e5979.

Hogan, M., et al. Randomized, controlled trial of division of tongue-tie in infants with feeding problems. J Paediatr Child Health. May-Jun 2005;41(5-6):246-50.

Hsu, B., et al. Effects of respiratory muscle therapy on obstructive sleep apnea: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Sleep Med. 2020 May 15;16(5):785-801.

Huang, Y.S., et al. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with obstructive sleep apnea: a treatment outcome study. Sleep Med. 2007 Jan;8(1):18-30.

Huang, Y.S., et al. Short Lingual Frenulum and Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Children. Intl Journal of Clinical Pediatrics. 2015,1(1):1-4.

Hvolby, A. Associations of sleep disturbance with ADHD: implications for treatment. Atten Defic Hyperact Disord. 2015 Mar;7(1):1-18.

Ieto, V., et al. Effects of Oropharyngeal Exercises on Snoring: A Randomized Trial. Chest. 2015 Sep;148(3):683-691.

Ito, Y., et al. Effectiveness of tongue-tie division for speech disorder in children. Pediatr Int. 2015 Apr;57(2):222-6.

Messner, A.H., et al. The effect of ankyloglossia on speech in children. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2002 Dec;127(6):539-45.

O’Callahan, C., et al. The effects of office-based frenotomy for anterior and posterior ankyloglossia on breastfeeding. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2013 May;77(5):827-32.

Rueda, J.R., et al. Myofunctional therapy (oropharyngeal exercises) for obstructive sleep apnoea. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020 Nov 3;11(11):CD013449.

Sabuncuoglu, O. Understanding the relationships between breastfeeding, malocclusion, ADHD, sleep-disordered breathing and traumatic dental injuries. Med Hypotheses. 2013 Mar;80(3):315-20.

Siegel, S. Aerophagia Induced Reflux in Breastfeeding Infants With Ankyloglossia and Shortened Maxillary Labial Frenula (Tongue and Lip Tie). Int J Clin Pediatr. 2016;5(1):6-8.

Villa, M.P., et al. Oropharyngeal exercises to reduce symptoms of OSA after AT. Sleep Breath. 2015 Mar;19(1):281-9.

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