Myofunctional Therapy
What is myofunctional therapy?
Signs indicating improper rest oral posture:
- Lips are positioned apart when at rest
- Flattening or wrinkling of the chin when lips are closed
- Rolled-out upper lip
- Crusty lips
- Cupid’s bow appearance of the upper lip
- Flattened cheeks
- A nose-lip angle greater than 110 degrees
- One or both jaws are recessed
The benefits of myofunctional therapy
The aim of myofunctional therapy is to retrain your muscles and to achieve a normal resting posture of the tongue, lips, and jaw. It emphasizes training patients to achieve the correct resting postures while facilitating proper nasal/diaphragm breathing. Treatment benefits include not only better facial symmetry, reduced snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, and the ability to move oral muscles properly, but also clearer thinking, more balanced moods, and an increase in energy.
Myofuntional Therapy for Children
In children, myofunctional therapy can be used as a means for achieving a proper tongue rest position, which may be affected by habit or necessity. A low tongue position can lead to improper muscle functioning and/or airway obstruction. When nasal breathing is impaired, the jaw tends to drop and the tongue will find a low position to help open the upper airways. Lack of nasal breathing or sleep-disordered breathing may also lead to the tongue moving or resting in a forward position, pushing up against the teeth. Establishing a good resting tongue posture is important in children to ensure proper facial growth and airway development.
Myofuntional Therapy for Adults
Orofacial myofunctional therapy can be used to assist adults who experience headaches, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or heartburn, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain, neck pain, thumb sucking, and nail-biting. It can be used in response to late jaw growth or tooth loss, as well as the worsening of malocclusion (tooth alignment).
Myofunctional therapy can also be used as a non-invasive and inexpensive treatment for sleep apnea for those wanting to avoid surgery or the use of continuous positive airway pressure. In most cases, myofunctional therapy for adult patients is a highly efficient and successful treatment option. Current studies show that it decreases the apnea-hypopnea index by approximately 50% in adults and 62% in children, with the lowest oxygen saturation, snoring, and sleepiness outcomes seen in adults
Our Certified Therapists - Nikki Huston
Nikki began her journey in pediatric dentistry in 2000 as a dental assistant. She graduated form Columbia Basin College with a degree in Dental Hygiene in 2003. In 2008 she earned her Bachelors Degree in Science from Eastern Washington University. She became certified as a myofunctional therapist in 2020. She is thrilled to incorporate myofunctional therapy into the practice and share the many benefits this therapy has to offer.
Nikki loves playing games and refuses to grow up, which makes working with children a dream come true for her. Every day that she gets to interact and help kids is the “best day ever”. She loves being in the sun and enjoys various outdoor activities. Her favorite activity is watching and cheering for her beautiful girls, Elle and Courtney, as they compete in dance, soccer and volleyball with her husband Harley. An interesting fact about Nikki is she can ride a unicycle and eat a large bag of cool ranch Doritos in under ten minutes.
Nikki is passionate about creating a positive experience for your child while helping them achieve healthy mouths and bodies.
Nikki Huston RDH, BS, Certified Myofunctional Therapist
Our Certified Therapists - Tess Webster
My passion for dentistry began at the age of 16 when I worked as a orthodontic assistant. After high school, I attended Central Washington University and later transferred to Yakima Valley Community College where I earned my Dental Hygiene degree in 2004. I practiced traditional dentistry for 14 years prior to Joining Orchard Hills Pediatric Dentistry in 2018. Restorative dental has always been a passion of mine and I find great joy in working with the kiddos and their families.
I became a Certified Myofunctional Therapist in 2020. Myofunctional therapy helps to strengthen and develop the structures of the face and tongue to guide proper growth and development. This is a treatment option I’m very excited to provide to our patients.
In my free time I like spending time with my family. My husband, Andy, and I have one son, Sam. We have three Mini Schnauzers who like to kayak and camp with us. I like to try new things and explore the great outdoors.
Tess Webster, RDH, Certified Myofunctional Therapist
More on Myfuntional Therapy
Many people breathe through the mouth more than they should, leading the muscles and orofacial functions to adapt to a disordered breathing pattern that can create OMDs. Myofunctional therapy is also an important part of treatments associated with orofacial surgeries, such as frenuloplasties, as well as mandibular advancements.
Our interaction between orofacial structural growth and muscle activity starts early in our development. The physiologic functions of suction, mastication, swallowing, and nasal breathing that develop when we are infants play an important role in stimulating growth later down the track. Poor oral habits that restrict growth and development include tongue thrusting, drooling, thumb sucking, and leaning on the chin, as well as grinding/clenching the teeth, nail-biting, and pencil chewing.
By creating good habits and training the muscles in our face to act in an optimal way, our muscle memory will ensure our teeth and jaws align properly as we grow and develop. Myofunctional therapy works by training the soft tissues in the face, neck, and mouth to function at their optimum. Not only can it help you to enjoy eating, breathing, and speaking more naturally, but it can have beneficial cosmetic results and can eliminate the need for costly orthodontics in the future. By cultivating an awareness of your muscles, our therapists can develop a therapy program of regular exercises that are customized to your needs.
Our goal as therapists is to help you better understand the importance of proper tongue position and proper oral rest postures, with low tongue positions contributing to improper muscle functioning and sometimes even leading to airway obstruction. We also strive to help you better understand the importance of establishing a lip seal and practicing continuous nasal breathing. We provide a leading role in illustrating pre and post-operative myofunctional therapy exercises that will help to strengthen the tongue and orofacial muscles, helping to resolve a range of issues that may include jaw pain, breathing problems, and cervical neck tension. Therapeutic exercises can help to improve the strength and range of your jaw, cheeks, lips, and tongue, which can assist those who have trouble swallowing or speaking clearly.
Connect With Us
Office Hours
Monday-Friday with variable times to accommodate all of our patients.
Our kids dental team is ready for you! Call 509-375-5000
Connect With Us
Office Hours
Monday-Friday with variable times to accommodate all of our patients.
Our kids dental team is ready for you! Call 509-375-5000