MyoFunctional Therapy

 Myofunctional Therapy: Empowering Better Eating, Sleep, and Growth

Myofunctional therapy focuses on the muscles of the face, tongue, lips and neck — and how they impact how your child eats, breathes, speaks, sleeps and grows. At Boudry Therapy & Rehab we apply this holistic perspective: all of our tissues are connected, and restrictions in one area (like the tongue or lip) can ripple out to posture, breathing, coordination and even mood. 

 Could your child’s oral-motor challenges be more about how the muscles work together than about what might be “tied”? 

 While tethered oral tissues (TOTs) like tongue-tie and lip-tie can significantly impact feeding, breathing, and speech, not every individual with oral-motor or airway concerns has a restriction that requires release. Current research emphasizes that orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs) can result from a range of factors — including chronic mouth breathing, poor oral rest posture, muscle weakness, allergies, prolonged pacifier or bottle use, and even stress-related tension patterns (Hanson & Mason, Int J Orofacial Myology, 2003; Guilleminault et al., Sleep Med, 2016). In many cases, functional therapy alone — through targeted exercises that retrain the tongue, lips, and breathing patterns — can produce significant improvements without surgical intervention (Baxter, 2020; Zaghi et al., Sleep Breath, 2019). The goal of a comprehensive evaluation is to determine whether a restriction truly limits movement or whether muscle re-education can restore optimal function on its own. 

What are “tethered oral tissues” (TOTs)?

“Tethered oral tissues” is a term that brings together restrictions such as tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) and lip-tie. These occur when a piece of tissue under the tongue or upper/lower lip limits movement and function. According to Baxter, “tongue-ties and lip-ties are often misdiagnosed or misunderstood … and they are quite common.” LightScalpel+2tonguetieal.com+2
In short: a tiny piece of tissue can hold back big development.

Why this matters for babies, kids and even adults

Here’s why parents and caregivers should care:

Feeding & breastfeeding: Babies with TOTs may struggle to latch, swallow efficiently, gain weight or transition to solids. A 2024 study found infants with TOTs had significantly different feeding and gastrointestinal symptoms than those without, and those who received a release fared better.
 

Oral rest posture & breathing: When the tongue cannot reach the roof of the mouth or lips cannot seal easily, habits like open-mouth breathing, tongue thrusting or shallow chest breathing can develop. Baxter and colleagues reported improved mouth-breathing, sleep and snoring after tongue-tie release.
 

Sleep & airway development: Early restrictions may contribute to compromised airway development, snoring or sleep-disordered breathing. “If tongue-ties remain untreated, they can lead to structural and functional changes in the cranio-facial-respiratory complex and impact sleep throughout the lifespan.” LightScalpel
 

Posture, chewing, speech & alignment: Restricted tongue or lip movement may lead to compensatory muscle patterns (jaw clenching, neck tension), dental or orthodontic issues (narrow palate, crowding), articulation issues, and postural imbalances.
 

Team-approach wins: Research shows the best outcomes often come when surgical release (frenectomy) and myofunctional therapy work together — one study found improved outcomes in sleep, mobility, feeding when both were present.