MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPY IN OAKVILLE
At Sixth Line Family Dental, we look beyond just teeth; we look at how your mouth functions as a whole. The way your tongue rests, how you breathe, and how your muscles work can all impact your oral health, bite, and even long-term development. That’s where myofunctional therapy comes in. Through a combination of targeted exercises, habit correction, and sometimes dental appliances, we help guide healthier muscle function to support better oral development and overall comfort.
WHAT IS MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPY?
Myofunctional therapy focuses on retraining the muscles of the mouth, tongue, and face to function properly.
Simple things like:
where your tongue rests
how you breathe (nose vs. mouth)
how you swallow
…can have a big impact over time.
When these patterns aren’t working properly, they can contribute to issues like bite changes, crowding, or oral habits that are hard to break.
Myofunctional therapy helps bring everything back into balance, gently and gradually.
Benefits of myofunctional therapy
At Sixth Line Family Dental, our goal is to support long-term oral health, not just treat symptoms. Myofunctional therapy can help address the root cause of certain concerns, not just the result.
Supports Proper Oral Development
Healthy muscle function can help guide how the teeth and jaw develop over time, especially in growing children.
Helps Break Oral Habits
Habits like thumb sucking, mouth breathing, or tongue thrust can be difficult to stop without guidance. Therapy helps retrain these patterns.
Improves Breathing & Tongue Posture
Encouraging proper tongue position and nasal breathing can support overall oral and facial health.
Complements Orthodontic Treatment
Myofunctional therapy can work alongside orthodontics to help maintain results and support long-term stability.
MYOFUNCTIONAL APPLIANCES
In some cases, we may recommend a custom dental appliance as part of your myofunctional therapy treatment plan.
These appliances may help guide proper tongue positioning, discourage habits like tongue thrust, and support healthy muscle function.
Each appliance is tailored to the patient’s individual needs and used alongside therapy exercises as part of a comprehensive treatment plan—not a one-size-fits-all solution.
MYOFUNCTIONAL EXERCISES
Lip Seal & Swallowing Coordination
Proper Tongue Placement
Breathing Patterns
FAQ
How Does Myofunctional Therapy Work?
Treatment starts with a personalized assessment. From there, we may recommend monitoring development, specific exercises to practice at home, a dental appliance if needed, or coordination with other providers when appropriate.
The goal is to create a plan that fits your needs and supports healthy function over time.
Like the approach we take with all treatments, we focus on what’s truly necessary—nothing more, nothing less.
Is Myofunctional Therapy Right for You?
You or your child may benefit from an evaluation if you notice mouth breathing, tongue thrust, speech-related concerns, prolonged thumb or pacifier habits, or changes in bite or tooth position.
Not every case requires treatment, but having it assessed early can make a difference.