Everything About Myofunctional Therapy

Myofunctional therapy is a type of treatment that treats problems with facial muscles. It helps improve muscle function, which can help relieve symptoms of TMJ, sleep apnea, and other issues.

What is Myofunctional Therapy?

Myofunctional therapy is a non-surgical, non-invasive treatment designed to treat improper oral habits such as mouth breathing, tongue thrusting, and thumb sucking. Myofunctional therapy addresses the root cause of the habit rather than treating the symptoms alone. This treatment can correct both the soft tissue and structural problems associated with these habits. Many patients find the myofunctional therapy process to be more comfortable than braces because they do not need to be worn for as long of a time period.

Treating the Cause Instead of the Symptoms

In many cases, children develop bad oral habits at a very young age due to the shape of their palates. If this causes them to be mouth breathers or they have difficulty chewing food properly, they might start to suck on their thumbs or fingers for comfort or to relieve tension. These actions can cause their jaws to grow incorrectly, and they can develop an overbite or underbite as a result. Myofunctional therapy works to correct these issues by retraining the muscles in the throat and neck to work properly and repositioning the jaw into a proper alignment. In doing so, it fixes the root of the issue so the patient can stop the bad habit and start orthodontic care early if they so choose.

How Does Myofunctional Therapy Work?

Myofunctional therapy, or facial myology, is a non-invasive form of treatment that corrects poor muscle function in the head and neck region. Through this therapy, patients are able to achieve better oral and facial health by retraining their muscles to perform in a more appropriate manner.

Myofunctional therapy seeks to identify and reverse the underlying causes of conditions like sleep apnea and TMJ disorder so that patients can achieve optimal sleep and pain relief, respectively. By treating muscle dysfunction, this therapy can effectively mitigate the effects of sleep disorders like snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, as well as provide relief from chronic pain symptoms associated with TMJ disorder.

Retraining the muscles of the face is an integral part of myofunctional therapy. Through a series of exercises and techniques, patients are able to practice proper mouth mechanics so that they are able to chew, talk, and even breathe with greater ease and comfort. Patients are also able to learn how to perform exercises on their own so that they can continue to maintain their oral health in between visits to the dentist’s office.

With regular visits for myofunctional therapy and a commitment to at-home exercise, patients can alleviate the pain and stress of TMJ disorder, minimize the risk of sleep apnea and snoring, and gain greater confidence in their ability to speak and eat properly.

What Does Myofunctional Therapy Treat?

Myofunctional therapy treats a variety of issues, including malocclusion, teeth grinding and jaw clenching, poor sleep habits, and thumb sucking. It can also help with TMD pain and comfort due to the alignment of the teeth and jaws. Once the teeth are in proper alignment, the muscles are able to function properly, relieving the symptoms of malocclusion and other disorders. The benefits of myofunctional therapy don’t end with an improved smile, either! Patients often report improvements in their sleeping habits and a reduction in headaches or migraines. Some even see an improvement in their breathing, thanks to properly aligned airways and improved posture.

In short, the major uses of myofunctional therapy include the following:

• can be used to address sleep-disordered breathing - snoring and obstructive sleep apnea
• helps improve eating function after dental or facial surgeries
• treat speech disorders
• treat malocclusion
• treat tongue thrust and prevent speech problems in children

By completing a series of myofunctional exercises at home, patients can reduce the need for extensive orthodontic treatment in the future, too! Consider making an appointment with our therapist today to discuss whether myofunctional therapy is right for you.

To learn more, please reach out to our dental practice in Cypress, TX, and have a consultation with our dentist. Call us at (832) 353-3600 or schedule an online appointment, and we'll guide you further.