Myofunctional therapy is a non-invasive therapy that focuses on improving how the muscles of the mouth, tongue, lips, and face function at rest and during everyday activities like breathing, swallowing, and speaking. These muscles play a much bigger role in overall health than most people realize. When they aren’t working properly, it can contribute to mouth breathing, poor sleep, jaw development issues, dental crowding, speech challenges, and even chronic tension or discomfort. Myofunctional therapy uses targeted exercises and habit retraining to restore proper function and balance.
We’re excited to now offer myofunctional therapy at Rooted Dental as part of our holistic, whole-body approach to care. This service is led by our certified myofunctional therapist, who is also a highly trained dental hygienist. This dual training allows for a unique and integrated perspective — combining deep knowledge of oral health with functional muscle therapy — ensuring care that is both precise and supportive of long-term results.
Treatment is gentle and non-invasive. Sessions typically involve guided exercises, education, and at-home practice designed to retrain muscle patterns over time. There are no medications, injections, or procedures involved. The science behind myofunctional therapy is rooted in neuromuscular re-education - helping the brain and muscles learn healthier patterns that support proper breathing, tongue posture, swallowing, and jaw stability. When muscles function correctly, they help guide healthy facial growth in children and reduce strain and dysfunction in adults.
Myofunctional therapy can benefit both children and adults. It may be recommended if you or your child experience mouth breathing, snoring, poor sleep, tongue-tie concerns, orthodontic relapse, speech challenges, jaw tension, or chronic inflammation in the mouth. It’s also commonly used before and after orthodontic treatment, airway therapy, or tongue-tie releases to improve outcomes and stability. At its core, myofunctional therapy connects dentistry with integrative health - supporting the airway, nervous system, and overall well-being by addressing function, not just structure.
Contact us today if you're ready to learn more.
