Myofunctional Therapy in Southeast Calgary, AB

At Millennium Dental, myofunctional therapy focuses on improving the function and coordination of the muscles, tongue, lips, and face. These muscles play a critical role in everyday activities such as breathing, speaking, and swallowing, and they also influence how the teeth and jaws develop over time.

Concerns such as tongue-ties and low tongue posture can affect more than just oral function, they may contribute to altered breathing patterns during the day and disrupted breathing at night. Myofunctional therapy is designed to retrain these patterns, helping guide the tongue into a natural resting position against the palate and encouraging proper muscle function.

Myofunctional therapy at Millenium Dental is a series of guided exercises that help retrain and strengthen the muscles of the mouth and face. The goal is to establish healthy patterns of tongue posture, nasal breathing, and swallowing.

When the tongue rests low in the mouth or presses against the teeth, it can contribute to issues such as misalignment, mouth breathing, and strain on the jaw. By encouraging the tongue to rest gently against the roof of the mouth, myofunctional therapy supports improved breathing, muscle coordination, and overall oral function.

This therapy is often considered an important, yet underutilized, component in managing concerns such as sleep disordered breathing and jaw discomfort, including TMJ-related symptoms.

Depending on individual assessment and treatment planning, myofunctional therapy may include:

• Exercises to strengthen and retrain tongue posture for proper resting position
• Techniques to encourage nasal breathing during the day and night
• Support for improving swallowing patterns and speech function
• Guidance for patients with tongue ties, in coordination with other treatment when needed
• Integration with orthodontic treatment to help maintain alignment and reduce the risk of relapse

All recommendations at Millenium Dental are based on a thorough evaluation and are discussed clearly before beginning therapy.