What Is Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy? A Parent-Friendly Explanation

Amanda Scott, M.S, CCC-SLP
5 days ago
3 min read

If you’ve been told your child (or you) may benefit from orofacial myofunctional therapy, you’re not alone in wondering what that actually means. It’s not always clearly explained, and many families hear the term for the first time from a dentist, orthodontist, or airway-focused provider.

Orofacial myofunctional therapy is an evidence-based treatment approach that focuses on improving how the muscles of the face and mouth function at rest and during daily activities such as breathing, swallowing, and speaking.

What Does Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy Address?

Myofunctional therapy focuses on the soft tissues of the face and mouth, including the tongue, lips, cheeks, and jaw. When these muscles are not functioning optimally, they can contribute to a variety of challenges, including:

Open-mouth resting posture
Mouth breathing or noisy breathing during sleep
Tongue thrust or improper swallowing patterns
Speech sound distortions
Oral habits such as thumb sucking
Orthodontic relapse or difficulty maintaining orthodontic results
Tension patterns in the jaw or face

Therapy works to retrain these patterns so that the tongue rests where it should, breathing occurs through the nose, and swallowing is efficient and functional.

Who Can Benefit from Myofunctional Therapy?

Orofacial myofunctional therapy can benefit children, teens, and adults, with care always tailored to the individual.

Children

In children, therapy often focuses on:

Establishing proper oral resting posture
Supporting healthy breathing patterns
Addressing habits such as thumb sucking or prolonged pacifier use
Preparing for or supporting orthodontic treatment

Early intervention can be especially helpful, as developing systems are more adaptable and responsive to change.

Teens

For teens, therapy may support:

Orthodontic stability and expansion
Speech sound precision
Oral-facial coordination
Awareness of posture and breathing patterns during growth

Adults

Adults may seek myofunctional therapy to address:

Swallowing concerns
Long-standing tongue thrust patterns
Jaw tension or oral-facial discomfort
Airway-related concerns
Support before or after dental or orthodontic procedures

It is never “too late” to improve oral function.

How Is Myofunctional Therapy Different from Speech Therapy?

While there can be overlap, speech therapy and myofunctional therapy are not the same.

Speech therapy focuses on improving communication skills, such as speech clarity, language, and intelligibility.
Orofacial myofunctional therapy focuses on the underlying muscle patterns that support breathing, swallowing, and oral posture.

In some cases, both therapies are recommended together. In other situations, myofunctional therapy may be appropriate as a stand-alone, private-pay service when speech and swallowing skills are otherwise intact.

Addressing Oral Habits: Thumbs Out Habit Elimination Program

One common area of focus within myofunctional therapy is oral habit elimination, particularly thumb sucking.

At Salt & Light Speech-Language Resources, we offer a structured Thumbs Out Habit Elimination Program designed to gently and effectively support children in breaking thumb-sucking habits.

This program focuses on:

Education and awareness
Motivation and age-appropriate strategies
Addressing the underlying oral-motor and sensory components of the habit
Supporting families with clear guidance and encouragement

Oral habits can significantly impact tongue posture, dental development, and oral function, making early support especially valuable.

What Does Therapy Typically Look Like?

Myofunctional therapy is individualized and education-driven. Sessions often include:

Education about oral anatomy and function
Exercises to improve tongue strength, coordination, and awareness
Strategies to support nasal breathing and proper rest posture
Home-program guidance to encourage consistency and carryover

Progress depends on participation and consistency, which is why education and family involvement are such an important part of the process.

When Should You Consider an Evaluation?

You may want to consider a myofunctional evaluation if you or your child:

Breathes primarily through the mouth
Snores or has noisy breathing at night
Has difficulty maintaining orthodontic results
Exhibits tongue thrust or open-mouth posture
Has a persistent oral habit such as thumb sucking

An evaluation helps determine whether myofunctional therapy is appropriate and what type of support would be most beneficial.

If you have questions or would like to learn more about our services, we’re always happy to help guide you through the next steps.

Schedule your Free 15 minute Discovery Call to talk through your concerns and learn more about how we can help your child grow in confidence and communication. Click HERE to book your call today!

Free Resources are available on our website, click here!