Myofunctional Therapy (MFT)

Your child breathes through their mouth, sleeps with it open, and the orthodontist says “the tongue sits wrong”? Or after braces came off, the teeth are shifting back? Myofunctional therapy works on the root causes of these problems: facial muscles, tongue position, and swallowing patterns.

What is it exactly?

Myofunctional therapy (MFT) involves exercises for the muscles of the face, mouth, and throat. I work on getting the tongue to rest on the palate (not the floor of the mouth), lips to stay closed, and the child to swallow correctly and breathe through the nose. These everyday functions (breathing, chewing, swallowing) shape facial development and bite alignment. When they don’t work properly, they also affect speech.

When should you come in?

• Your child mouth-breathes — open mouth during the day and night, dry lips, snoring.
• Incorrect swallowing — the tongue pushes against the teeth instead of the palate. In young children this is normal, but after age 4-6 it should change. If it doesn’t, it leads to bite problems.
• Speech issues that won’t resolve — often there’s a muscle problem behind a speech disorder. Practicing sounds alone won’t help if the muscles aren’t working properly.
• Thumb sucking after age 3 — and other oral habits (nail biting, pen chewing, cheek biting).
• Before or during orthodontic treatment — so braces can work effectively and results last.
• After a tongue tie release — muscle rehabilitation following the procedure.
• Excessive drooling in an older child.
• Infant feeding problems — weak sucking, choking during feeds.

Why does it matter so much?

A single swallow generates about 500 grams of pressure on the teeth. We swallow 600 to 1,000 times a day. If the tongue pushes against the teeth every time instead of the palate, that force is enough to shift teeth and reshape the dental arch. Without correcting the swallow, neither braces nor a tongue tie procedure will give lasting results.

What does therapy look like?

1. Assessment — I check oral structure, tongue resting position, swallowing pattern, breathing, lip seal, and habits. I talk to parents about what they observe at home.
2. In-office exercises — I teach the child correct tongue position, lip closure, and proper swallowing. We work through play, but systematically.
3. Home exercises — 2-3 times a day for 5-10 minutes. Parents get clear instructions. Consistency matters more than intensity.
4. Specialist collaboration — if needed, I refer to an orthodontist, ENT, or physiotherapist. Results are best when we work as a team.

For adults too

MFT isn’t just for children. In adults, it helps with snoring, teeth grinding (bruxism), jaw joint pain (TMD), and bite relapse after orthodontic treatment.

📞 577 600 985
📧 neurologopeda.grzegrzolka@gmail.com