What Is Myofunctional Therapy? A Plain-English Guide for Parents

The Basics: What Are Orofacial Muscles?

Your mouth, tongue, lips, and jaw are powered by a group of muscles called the orofacial muscles. These muscles do far more than help you chew and swallow. They shape how your face grows, how your teeth align, how you breathe, how you sleep, and even how clearly you speak.

When these muscles work the way they should, everything tends to run smoothly. The tongue rests lightly against the roof of the mouth, the lips seal easily, and swallowing happens in a coordinated, efficient pattern. When something disrupts that balance, a group of conditions called orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs) can develop.

OMDs are not rare. Research suggests they appear in a significant portion of children and adults, and they often go unrecognized for years because the signs can look like unrelated issues: crooked teeth, open-mouth posture, snoring, or unclear speech sounds.

What Goes Wrong: Common Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders

The two most common OMDs that bring families into a myofunctional therapist's office are tongue thrust swallow patterns and low tongue resting posture.

A tongue thrust swallow happens when the tongue pushes forward against or between the teeth during swallowing rather than pressing up against the palate. The average person swallows roughly 500 to 1,000 times per day. Multiply that by years of forward tongue pressure, and you can see how it becomes a significant force against dental alignment.

Low tongue resting posture is exactly what it sounds like: the tongue sits on the floor of the mouth instead of resting against the palate. This matters because the tongue is meant to act as a natural retainer. When it rests in the right place, it helps support the upper arch and keep teeth where they belong. When it doesn't, orthodontic relapse (teeth shifting after braces come off) becomes much more likely.

Mouth breathing is another major driver of OMDs. Chronic mouth breathing is often linked to enlarged tonsils or adenoids, allergies, nasal congestion, or structural issues in the nasal passages. Breathing through the mouth instead of the nose changes the resting posture of the tongue and jaw, disrupts the seal of the lips, and over time can influence facial development. It is also closely connected to sleep-disordered breathing, including snoring and pediatric sleep apnea, which is why ENTs often refer patients for myofunctional therapy evaluation.

Finally, OMDs can contribute to speech sound errors. Sounds like /s/, /z/, /sh/, /l/, and /r/ depend on precise tongue placement. When the tongue habitually rests or moves in an atypical pattern, producing those sounds correctly becomes significantly harder.

Why This Matters Beyond Straight Teeth

It is easy to think of OMDs as a dental problem, but the effects ripple outward. Families in the Sandy Springs and greater Atlanta area are increasingly learning that myofunctional therapy sits at the intersection of dental health, speech development, sleep quality, and airway function.

Here is a quick look at the downstream effects that untreated OMDs can cause:

• **Orthodontic relapse:** Braces can move teeth, but they cannot retrain muscles. If the tongue is still pushing forward with every swallow after treatment ends, teeth tend to drift back. This is one of the primary reasons orthodontists refer patients for myofunctional therapy before or during braces.
• **Sleep-disordered breathing:** Low muscle tone in the tongue and throat is a known risk factor for airway obstruction during sleep. Myofunctional therapy has been studied as a complementary approach for reducing snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnea.
• **Facial development:** In growing children, the constant gentle pressure of the tongue against the palate helps shape the upper arch. Without it, the palate can narrow, which affects how permanent teeth erupt and how the airway develops.
• **Speech clarity:** Some articulation errors persist despite traditional speech therapy because the underlying muscle pattern has never been addressed.

Who Refers Patients for Myofunctional Therapy?

Referrals for myofunctional therapy come from a wide range of providers. Orthodontists are among the most common sources, often wanting to address tongue thrust before or after treatment to protect results. Dentists refer when they observe atypical swallowing patterns, open bites, or signs of mouth breathing. ENTs refer when airway concerns and oral muscle function are intertwined. Pediatricians refer when a child has persistent mouth breathing, disrupted sleep, or speech concerns that do not fully resolve with other interventions.

Amanda Smith, MS, CCC-SLP, is certified in Myofunctional Therapy and works closely with referring providers to coordinate care. When a dentist or orthodontist sends a patient to Lasting Language, Amanda communicates with that provider throughout the process so that the therapy and any dental treatment are working in the same direction.

What Myofunctional Therapy Sessions Actually Look Like

Myofunctional therapy is a structured exercise program, similar in concept to physical therapy but focused on the tongue, lips, jaw, and related muscles. The clinical term for what happens in sessions is neuromuscular retraining.

A typical program includes exercises that:

• Strengthen the tongue and build endurance for proper resting posture
• Retrain the swallow pattern so the tongue moves to the palate rather than pushing forward
• Improve lip seal and nasal breathing habits
• Address any mouth-breathing patterns through coordination with the referring ENT or physician when needed

Sessions are generally held weekly or every other week, and most programs run between 6 and 12 months depending on the individual. Consistency outside of sessions matters a great deal. Like any neuromuscular retraining, the exercises need to be practiced daily for the new patterns to become automatic. Families play an active role in supporting home practice, especially for younger children.

Progress is measurable. Amanda tracks tongue resting posture, swallow pattern, lip seal, and related factors throughout the program so families can see exactly how things are improving.

Who Is a Good Candidate?

Myofunctional therapy is appropriate for children and adults. There is no single "right age," though many providers prefer to begin working with children once they are old enough to follow instructions and practice exercises consistently, often around age 5 or 6.

Good candidates typically include:

• Children or adults with a diagnosed tongue thrust swallow pattern
• Orthodontic patients whose providers have noted muscle pattern concerns
• Children who breathe primarily through their mouths
• Individuals with a history of snoring or sleep-disordered breathing where muscle tone is a contributing factor
• Children with persistent speech sound errors, particularly on sounds that require precise tongue placement
• Adults preparing for or recovering from oral surgery where muscle retraining is part of recovery

Adults benefit from myofunctional therapy just as much as children do. Muscle patterns can be retrained at any age, though the timeline may differ. Lasting Language serves both pediatric and adult patients across Sandy Springs, Roswell, Dunwoody, Woodstock, and through telehealth for families who prefer remote sessions.

Ready to Learn More?

If you heard the term "myofunctional therapy" from your child's orthodontist, dentist, or ENT and you are wondering whether it applies to your family, the next step is a thorough evaluation. Amanda Smith will assess tongue resting posture, swallow pattern, lip seal, nasal breathing, and related factors to give you a clear picture of what is happening and whether therapy is the right fit.

You do not need to have all the answers before reaching out. That is exactly what the evaluation is for. Contact Lasting Language Therapy to schedule an assessment and get a straightforward explanation of what your child needs and why.