Myofunctional Therapy
Retraining the muscles of the face, mouth, and tongue to support proper breathing, swallowing, and long-term airway health.
What is Myofunctional Therapy?
Think of myofunctional therapy as physical therapy for the muscles of your face, mouth, and tongue. It involves a customized program of simple, painless exercises designed to retrain these muscles to function correctly.
Proper oral muscle function is essential for nasal breathing, correct swallowing, and maintaining proper tongue posture. When the tongue rests in the roof of the mouth, it acts as a natural scaffold, supporting the upper jaw and keeping the airway open.
Regardless of whether a patient needs airway expansion, tongue-tie release, or an oral appliance, myofunctional therapy is often the critical missing piece that ensures long-term success.
The Goal
- Establish continuous nasal breathing.
- Correct tongue resting posture.
- Develop a proper swallowing pattern.
- Keep lips sealed when resting.
See therapy in action
Watch a brief demonstration of what a typical myofunctional therapy exercise looks like.
Julie VanVeckhoven
Accredited Myofunctional Therapist
Expert guidance, wherever you are.
Julie brings over 30 years of experience to her role as a Myofunctional Therapist. She graduated in 2024 from the Myo Mentor program and Myo Masterminds with the Breathe Institute, and is accredited by the IAOMT.
Virtual Sessions Available
We know families are busy. While we love seeing patients in our Belle Chasse office, many myofunctional therapy sessions can be completed virtually over Zoom. This makes it easier to stay consistent with your therapy program without adding extra travel time to your week.