Do you often feel like it’s troublesome to do certain normal activities, such as chewing, speaking, or simply breathing? Do you have a child who often breathes through their mouth or often sucks their thumbs? If so, then myofunctional therapy could be the solution for improving your or your little one’s quality of life. Read on to learn what this treatment is and how you can benefit from it.
What is Myofunctional Therapy?
Also known as “orofacial myofunctional therapy” or “orofacial myology,” this service is a kind of physical therapy designed to help patients target areas like their mouth, head, and neck. This treatment involves specific exercises that promote adequate breathing, effective swallowing, and healthy resting tongue positioning. In many cases, this therapy can take four or so months, but afterward, patients can often appreciate improved use of oral structures and greater overall quality of life.
Types of Exercises Involved in Myofunctional Therapy
Myofunctional therapy is technically physical therapy for the face, so you can expect various kinds of exercises for your mouth and tongue, including:
- Tongue touches: You’ll push the tip of your tongue to the hard palate and slide your tongue back 20 times.
- Teeth touching: Push the back of your tongue against the roof of your mouth but keep the tip of your tongue touching your bottom front teeth; perform 20 times.
- Tongue presses: Suck your tongue to your upper palate and press your entire tongue against it 20 times.
- Uvula raises: Raise your soft palate and uvula while voicing the vowel “A” 20 times.
- Balloon inflation: Take 5 large breaths through your nose and blow up a balloon as much as you can.
What Are the Benefits of this Treatment?
In some instances, myofunctional therapy could be recommended to patients who are undergoing other services, including orthodontia and tongue-tie treatment. Whatever the reason for needing these exercises, most patients can expect to appreciate a wide range of benefits, such as:
- Improved and clearer breathing
- Easier time chewing food
- Reduced risk of oral health issues
- Lowered risk of orthodontic problems, including a narrow palate or buck teeth
- 80-90% success rate of correcting the resting positions of oral structures
Sometimes fixing your smile can be as simple as practicing certain exercises while improving your overall well-being. Talk with your dentist if you or your child are having difficulties with daily oral tasks, and they can walk you through how myofunctional therapy can alleviate your issues.
About the Practice
At Hyland Dental, our team wants to ensure patients enjoy a healthy smile while feeling comfortable doing everyday activities, like talking and breathing. We even offer myofunctional therapy to help people utilize their oral structures properly so they can improve their quality of life. If you wish to learn more about this treatment or need to schedule a consultation, visit our website or call our office at 507-387-3249.