If your dentist has mentioned tongue thrust, mouth breathing, or abnormal swallowing patterns, you might benefit from myofunctional therapy. This specialized treatment retrains the muscles of your mouth and face to work properly, improving not just your bite, but also your breathing and overall oral health. About 20-80% of children (and many adults) have some form of oral muscle dysfunction. The good news is that these habits can be corrected with targeted exercises and training, which leads to better long-term results from orthodontics and improved breathing.
Common Problems With Tongue and Muscle Function
Tongue thrust is one of the most common muscle problems. When you swallow normally, your tongue tip should touch the roof of your mouth and stay there. But with tongue thrust, your tongue pushes forward against your teeth during swallowing. Since you swallow about 600-1000 times per day, that constant pressure can push your front teeth forward and create an open bite (where your front teeth don't touch when you close your mouth).
Mouth breathing is another major issue. If you're breathing through your mouth instead of your nose during the day and especially at night, it's affecting your teeth and face development. Mouth breathing can happen because of allergies, enlarged adenoids or tonsils, or just bad habits. It changes your facial structure over time, often creating a longer face shape, a narrower upper jaw, and crowded teeth.
Weak lips and improper swallowing patterns also cause problems. Your lips should seal easily when your mouth is closed. If they don't, you might be compensating with cheek or lip muscles, which creates additional stress on your teeth and jaws.
How Myofunctional Therapy Works
A myofunctional therapist will teach you specific exercises to retrain your muscles. For tongue thrust, you'll practice swallowing techniques that keep your tongue in the correct position. For mouth breathing, you'll learn breathing exercises that help you breathe through your nose naturally again. You might practice strengthening your lips so they seal more easily, and relearning mature swallowing patterns. For more on this topic, see our guide on Benefits Of Bite Force And Teeth.
These exercises are done multiple times daily and take just a few minutes each. You're essentially retraining your muscles like you'd retrain any habit. Within 2-3 weeks of consistent practice, most people notice changes. The longer you've had the habit, the longer retraining takes, but improvement is possible at any age.
Why This Matters for Orthodontics
If you're getting braces, myofunctional therapy becomes even more important. Braces move your teeth into the correct position, but if your muscles are still pushing them the wrong way, the teeth can shift back after your braces come off. This is called relapse. Adding myofunctional therapy to your orthodontic treatment prevents this relapse and gives you lasting results.
Similarly, if mouth breathing has created your bite problem, just fixing the teeth with braces won't keep the problem from coming back unless you also change your breathing pattern. The combination of orthodontics plus myofunctional therapy gives you stable, long-term results.
Breathing and Sleep Connections
Here's something many people don't realize: mouth breathing can worsen sleep problems. When you mouth-breathe, you don't get as much oxygen, and you're at higher risk for sleep apnea. If you have any sleep-breathing problems, fixing your breathing pattern with myofunctional therapy might actually improve your sleep quality and oxygen levels. That's a huge bonus beyond just improving your bite. For more on this topic, see our guide on Filling Materials Compared: Which Lasts the Longest?.
Getting Your Child or Yourself Evaluated
Your dentist can screen for myofunctional problems during a regular exam. They might notice tongue thrust during swallowing, mouth breathing patterns, or lip sealing problems. If they recommend myofunctional therapy, it's worth pursuing because studies show that myofunctional therapy is significantly better at preventing relapse than orthodontics alone.
For children, these habits are easier to fix because their brains are more adaptable to learning new patterns. That said, adults can also benefit from myofunctional therapy if they're willing to practice consistently.
Protecting Your Results Long-Term
Once you've addressed myofunctional therapy: retraining oral muscles, maintaining your results requires ongoing care. Good daily habits like brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing regularly, and keeping up with professional cleanings make a big difference in how long your results last.
Pay attention to any changes in your mouth and report them to your dentist early. Catching small issues before they become bigger problems saves you time, money, and discomfort. Your dentist may recommend specific products or routines based on your treatment.
Diet also plays a role in protecting your dental health. Limiting sugary snacks and acidic drinks helps preserve your teeth and any dental work you've had done. Drinking water throughout the day helps wash away food particles and keeps your mouth hydrated.
What to Expect During Your Visit
If your dentist recommends treatment related to myofunctional therapy: retraining oral muscles, knowing what to expect can ease any anxiety. Most dental procedures today are more comfortable than many people expect, thanks to modern techniques and anesthesia options.
Your dentist will explain each step before it happens so there are no surprises. If you feel nervous, let your dental team know. They can offer options to help you relax, including breaks during longer procedures. Many patients find that the anticipation is worse than the actual experience.
After your appointment, your dentist will give you clear instructions for at-home care. Following these instructions closely gives you the best chance of a smooth recovery and great results.
Conclusion
Myofunctional therapy might not sound exciting, but it's one of the best investments you can make in your oral health, especially if you're getting orthodontic treatment. By retraining your tongue, lips, and breathing patterns, you're ensuring that your teeth stay in their correct positions long-term and that your breathing works efficiently. Work with your dentist or myofunctional therapist to address these habits earlyβthe time you invest in therapy now prevents problems years from now.
> Key Takeaway: Myofunctional therapy retrains the muscles of your mouth and face to work properly, improving your bite, supporting orthodontic treatment stability, and often improving breathing. Tongue thrust, mouth breathing, and other muscle habits can be corrected with consistent exercises, preventing relapse of orthodontic treatment and supporting long-term oral health.