What is Myofunctional Therapy?
Myofunctional Therapy is like physical therapy for the mouth and tongue. If you sprain your ankle, you see a physical therapist to regain strength and mobility. Similarly, when the tongue is weak or rests low in the mouth, a Myofunctional Therapist helps strengthen and coordinate the muscles of the face and mouth—including the tongue, lips, jaw, temporomandibular joint (TMJ), and cheeks—which are essential for breathing, sleeping, and swallowing. Through neuromuscular re-education, Myofunctional Therapy corrects poor oral habits and restores proper function.
What are Goals of Myofunctional Therapy?
The primary goals of Myofunctional Therapy include improving breathing, posture, and oral function. Here’s how it works:
✅ Nasal Breathing: The primary goal of therapy is to establish nasal breathing day and night. Nasal breathing enhances sleep quality and energy levels by producing nitric oxide—a powerful molecule that improves oxygen absorption, lowers blood pressure, and promotes overall health. However, tongue ties or low tongue posture often lead to mouth breathing, which can contribute to poor sleep, cardiovascular issues, and even stroke risk. (1)
✅ Lip Seal: Keeping lips together at rest encourages proper tongue posture and nasal breathing. Many individuals with oral dysfunction habitually breathe through their mouths, leading to various health concerns. Strengthening lip muscles with exercises like the button pull can help correct this habit.
✅ Correct Tongue Posture: The tongue should rest fully against the palate. Proper tongue posture supports nasal breathing, facilitates efficient swallowing, and promotes healthy facial development.
✅ Proper Chewing and Swallowing: Tongue thrusting and swallowing difficulties often stem from weak oral muscles. Myofunctional Therapy retrains the tongue and surrounding muscles, restoring balance and function. (4)
Who Can Benefit from Myofunctional Therapy?
Anyone experiencing oral dysfunction can benefit from Myofunctional Therapy. Common conditions that improve with therapy include:
Condition | Symptoms | How Therapy Helps |
Mouth Breathing | Dry mouth, bad breath, snoring | Encourages nasal breathing, improves sleep |
TMJ Disorders | Jaw pain, clicking, headaches | Reduces tension, improves jaw mobility |
Sleep Apnea | Snoring, fatigue, poor sleep quality | Strengthens airway muscles, supports breathing |
Tongue Thrust | Lisp, open bite, swallowing difficulty | Trains tongue posture for better function |
Neck & Shoulder Tension | Chronic tightness, headaches | Addresses compensatory muscle strain |
Pre and Post-Frenectomy | Tongue tie release recovery, mobility issues | Optimizes healing and function after release |
Is Myofunctional Therapy Evidence-Based?
Studies highlight the effectiveness of Myofunctional Therapy in improving sleep, jaw function, and breathing:
A 2018 meta-analysis in Nature and The Science of Sleep found Myofunctional Therapy significantly reduced sleep apnea severity and improved sleep quality. (2)
A randomized controlled study in the Journal of Craniomandibular Practice showed that Myofunctional Therapy reduced TMJ-related pain and increased jaw mobility. (3)
A cohort study of 420 patients with tongue ties found that Myofunctional Therapy before release led to a 91.1% satisfaction rate, with improvements in tongue mobility, sleep quality, breathing, and reduced neck and shoulder tension. (5)
While large-scale, double-blind studies are still limited, growing research continues to support its role in treating sleep-disordered breathing, TMJ dysfunction, and posture-related concerns.
Why Myofunctional Therapy Before and After a Tongue Tie Release?
Ankyloglossia (tongue tie) restricts tongue mobility, impairing speech, chewing, swallowing, oral hygiene, and breathing. Many patients develop compensatory habits, such as mouth breathing and excessive muscle strain in the head and neck.
Myofunctional Therapy prepares the patient by:
Increasing oral awareness and tongue function
Strengthening the tongue and orofacial muscles
Rehabilitating compensations that may hinder post-release recovery
For example, many patients unknowingly engage their neck muscles to compensate for restricted tongue movement. Therapy retrains these muscles, helping ensure a successful frenectomy outcome. Patients who complete Myofunctional Therapy before their frenectomy typically experience better results, improved function, and lower risk of reattachment. Those who skip therapy often continue poor oral habits, reducing the overall benefits of the procedure.
Meet Sarah—a 22-year-old woman who struggled with persistent jaw pain and poor sleep for years. She had tried everything, from night guards to chiropractic adjustments, with little relief. When she finally sought an evaluation, she learned she had an undiagnosed tongue tie restricting her tongue's natural movement. Before her release, she began Myofunctional Therapy, strengthening her tongue and retraining her muscles. After the procedure, her therapist guided her through recovery exercises, helping her fully regain function. Today, Sarah sleeps better, breathes more easily, and is finally free from chronic pain.
Who are the Myofunctional Therapists in Columbus, Ohio?
Central Ohio is home to several highly skilled Myofunctional Therapists. While therapy can be done virtually, an initial in-person evaluation is ideal for the best assessment. Here are three experienced knowledgable therapists I collaborate with:
Treats children (4+) and adults
Starts with in-person evaluations, then offers virtual sessions
Specializes in tongue tie-related tongue thrust, TMJ disorders, and mouth breathing
Treats children and adults
Begins with in-person evaluations, with virtual therapy options
Specializes in tongue tie-related tongue thrust and head/neck tension
Treats children (5+) and adults
Offers in-office treatment
Specializes in mouth breathing, incorrect tongue posture, swallowing and speech issues, and oral habit elimination
If you're considering a frenectomy or struggling with oral function, Myofunctional Therapy is a valuable tool to optimize your results and improve your overall health. If you experience mouth breathing, jaw tension, or tongue thrust, therapy can help retrain your muscles for better function. Start today and take the first step toward better breathing, swallowing, and overall well-being!
References:
Allen, R. (n.d.). The health benefits of nose breathing. Nursing in General Practice. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10147/559021
de Felício, C. M., Dias, F. V., & Trawitzki, L. V. (2018). Obstructive sleep apnea: Focus on myofunctional therapy. Nature and Science of Sleep, 10, 271-286. https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S141132
de Felício, C. M., Melchior, M. O., & da Silva, M. A. M. R. (2010). Effects of orofacial myofunctional therapy on temporomandibular disorders. Journal of Craniomandibular Practice, 28(4), 1-11.
Hiiemae, K. M., & Palmer, J. B. (2003). Tongue movements in feeding and speech. Critical Reviews in Oral Biology & Medicine, 14(6), 413–429. https://doi.org/10.1177/154411130301400604
Zaghi, S., Valcu-Pinkerton, S., Jabara, M., Norouz-Knutsen, L., Govardhan, C., Moeller, J., Sinkus, V., Thorsen, R. S., Downing, V., Camacho, M., Yoon, A., Hang, W. M., Hockel, B., Guilleminault, C., & Liu, S. Y. (2019). Lingual frenuloplasty with myofunctional therapy: Exploring safety and efficacy in 348 cases. Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology, 4(5), 489-496. https://doi.org/10.1002/lio2.297
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