Common Myofunctional Disorders We Treat
Myofunctional disorders affect how the mouth and facial muscles work during everyday activities like eating, breathing, and speaking. Our myofunctional therapists specialize in treating:
​
-
Tethered Oral Tissues: Tongue, lip, and buccal ties that restrict movement and function.
-
Poor Oral Rest Posture: When the tongue, lips, or jaw rest in positions that affect breathing, speech, or dental development.
-
Dental Malocclusion and Bite Issues: Muscle patterns that contribute to improper bite alignment or orthodontic concerns.
-
Sleep and Airway Problems: Breathing patterns during rest and sleep that may impact overall health and development.
-
Oral Habits: Thumb sucking and other habits that affect oral development.
-
Tongue Thrust and Speech Sound Disorders: Swallowing patterns and tongue movements that interfere with speech clarity or proper swallowing.
-
Drooling: Difficulty managing saliva due to weak or uncoordinated oral muscles.
What Is Myofunctional Therapy and How Can It Help?
Orofacial myofunctional therapy looks at how the muscles of the mouth and face work during everyday activities, including breathing, eating, and speaking.
When patterns such as mouth breathing, low tongue posture, or inefficient swallowing develop, they can affect speech clarity, feeding, dental development, and overall comfort.
​
A speech-language pathologist with advanced training in myofunctional therapy uses a personalized therapy plan to retrain these muscle patterns to improve how the tongue, lips, and jaw work together to address the underlying cause of your speech, sleep, tenstion, swallowing, or eating challengees.
Let's Begin with a Myofunctional Evaluation
During the evaluation, your myofunctional therapist takes a close look at how your child uses their mouth and face during everyday activities to identify the underlying cause of their presenting challenges.
​
We observe how your child breathes, how their lips and tongue sit when they are relaxed, and how the muscles in the mouth work together when speaking, eating, and swallowing.
​
We also take time to review your child’s medical, dental, and developmental history. When helpful, we collaborate with other providers such as dentists, orthodontists, ENTs, or pediatricians to make sure we understand the full picture.
​
Following the evaluation, we will share personalized recommendations and walk you through the next steps.