Myofunctional Therapy

Myofunctional therapy centers on exercises and techniques that train the tongue, lips, and jaw muscles to function correctly. It addresses issues such as mouth breathing, tongue thrusting, and improper swallowing, often linked to sleep apnea, orthodontic problems, and impaired oral development in children.

The goals of myofunctional therapy include:

At Brooklyn Oak Dental Care, we implement myofunctional therapy as part of a holistic approach to pediatric care, recognizing its vital role in addressing the symptoms of sleep apnea and its underlying causes in children.

Myofunctional therapy plays an instrumental role in treating children’s sleep apnea in that it addresses the functional aspects of the oral and facial muscles that contribute to airway obstruction. The therapy focuses on strengthening and retraining the muscles around the mouth and upper airway, which can significantly alleviate sleep apnea symptoms.

Key aspects of how myofunctional therapy aids in sleep apnea treatment include:

• Improving Airway Patency: Strengthening the tongue and throat muscles helps keep the airway open during sleep, reducing the occurrence of apnea episodes.
• Promoting Nasal Breathing: By encouraging tongue posture and nasal breathing, myofunctional therapy helps optimize airflow, leading to more restful and uninterrupted sleep.
• Reducing Oral Breathing: Minimizing mouth breathing decreases the likelihood of airway collapse, a common cause of obstructive sleep apnea in children.

Myofunctional therapy offers a wide array of benefits that extend beyond treating sleep apnea and contribute to a child’s overall health and well-being. These benefits include:

• Enhanced Breathing Patterns: Training the muscles to support nasal breathing improves oxygenation and sleep quality.
• Improved Oral Functions: Correcting dysfunctional muscle patterns enhances abilities such as chewing, swallowing, and speaking, promoting better oral health and development.
• Support for Orthodontic Treatments: Myofunctional therapy can complement orthodontic interventions, ensuring more stable and lasting results.
• Reduction in Behavioral and Health Issues: Children who breathe better during sleep often experience fewer behavioral problems and health issues related to poor sleep, such as attention deficits and learning difficulties.

By integrating myofunctional therapy into a child’s care plan, our team is able to address critical aspects of a child’s development while responding with treatments that contribute to a healthier, more balanced growth process.

Myofunctional therapy is thorough and tailored to meet each child’s needs. It begins with a comprehensive evaluation to assess the child’s oral and facial muscle function, breathing patterns, and related sleep apnea symptoms. Here’s what the process typically involves:

1. Initial Assessment: A detailed examination to identify dysfunctional habits and muscle patterns contributing to sleep apnea and other oral health issues.
2. Customized Treatment Plan: Based on the assessment findings, a personalized therapy program is developed, which includes specific exercises and techniques designed to strengthen and retrain the oral and facial muscles.
3. Regular Sessions: Therapy sessions are conducted on a regular basis, where progress is monitored, and exercises are adjusted as needed to ensure ongoing improvement and effectiveness.
4. Home Practice: Patients are given exercises to perform at home, reinforcing the work done during therapy sessions and accelerating progress.

The process is designed to be engaging and educational, empowering children and their families to actively participate in improving oral health and function.

Selecting our dental office for myofacial therapy offers access to a practice renowned for its comprehensive understanding of the intricate relationship between oral functionality, sleep health, and overall child development. Our team, proficient in advanced myofunctional therapy techniques, is dedicated to delivering exceptional care within a nurturing and supportive environment.

Our approach is holistic, considering every facet of a child’s well-being to devise a treatment plan that addresses immediate concerns and promotes long-term health and development. We are committed to enhancing the lives of our young patients, and our reputation for achieving positive outcomes is reflected in the many success stories of children who have shown significant improvements in sleep quality, breathing, oral health, and developmental progress.

Embark on a transformative journey for your child with myofunctional therapy in Brooklyn, New York. If your child is facing challenges related to sleep apnea, oral development, or breathing difficulties, we are here to help.

Contact us today by calling (718) 369-2300 or completing our online contact form to schedule a comprehensive evaluation and learn how our myofunctional therapy services can improve your child’s health and vitality. Let’s work together to give them a brighter, healthier future.