Helping You and Your Family Breathe, Eat, Sleep, and Smile Better
In 2020, Sylvan Lake Dental Centre began offering tongue-tie assessments and releases to better support infants, children, and adults in our community. Since then, we’ve learned that diagnosing and releasing a tongue tie is only part of the journey. Many patients also experience poor tongue and lip function that needs to be retrained for lasting results. That’s where myofunctional therapy comes in.
At Sylvan Lake Dental Centre, we believe the mouth is more than just teeth. The way you breathe, swallow, and use your tongue, lips, and facial muscles plays a vital role in your overall health and development. Myofunctional therapy focuses on retraining these muscles to work in harmony, supporting healthy breathing, swallowing, posture, and facial growth for both children and adults.
What is Myofunctional Therapy?
Myofunctional therapy is a series of gentle, targeted exercises that strengthen and coordinate the muscles of the face, tongue, and mouth. The goal is to correct improper habits such as mouth breathing, tongue thrusting, low tongue posture, and incorrect swallowing patterns.
These issues, known as orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs), can affect how you breathe, sleep, and even how your teeth and jaws grow and align.
Who Can Benefit
Myofunctional therapy can be beneficial for:
- Children with tongue ties, feeding challenges, or speech concerns
- Mouth breathers or those with dry lips and frequent congestion
- Individuals with sleep-disordered breathing or mild sleep apnea
- Patients with orthodontic relapse (teeth shifting after braces)
- Adults with jaw pain, clenching, or poor oral posture
- Anyone seeking to improve nasal breathing and overall airway health
Why It Matters
Healthy oral function begins with proper tongue position and nasal breathing. When these are disrupted, the body adapts in ways that can affect sleep, facial development, and long-term health.
For children, early intervention supports optimal growth and can prevent more complex issues later in life. For adults, therapy can reduce strain, improve sleep quality, and support overall wellness.
What to Expect
Your journey begins with a comprehensive assessment to understand your breathing, tongue posture, swallowing, and facial muscle habits. We’ll then design a custom therapy plan that includes simple daily exercises and guidance to help you develop healthier patterns.
Sessions are typically spaced a few weeks apart, with exercises practiced at home between visits. Progress is closely monitored to ensure your muscles are retraining properly and results are lasting.
Our hygienist, Lisa, has been a valued part of the Sylvan Lake Dental Centre family for over 20 years. Her kindness, caring nature, and deep interest in oral and facial development have led her down the path to provide myofunctional therapy. Lisa’s years of experience and gentle approach help patients feel supported and confident as they work toward better oral function and overall wellness.
Working as a Team
At Sylvan Lake Dental Centre, our myofunctional therapy program is often combined with other services to ensure the best outcome. We collaborate closely with lactation consultants, chiropractors, speech-language pathologists, and airway-focused dentists to provide coordinated, whole-body care.
A Healthier Future Starts with a Breath
Whether you’re a parent concerned about your child’s sleep or development, or an adult looking to improve breathing and jaw comfort, myofunctional therapy offers a natural, effective approach to better health.
We’re here to guide you every step of the way, helping you build healthier habits for life.