Open Sesame Dentistry

Myofunctional Therapy: A Holistic Approach To Your Child’s Dental Health

Dr. Suzanne Grady and our caring team at Open Sesame Dentistry are excited to introduce myofunctional therapy, an innovative approach to pediatric dental care that goes beyond traditional treatments. While regular checkups and cleanings are essential for a healthy smile, myofunctional therapy addresses the functional patterns—like breathing, tongue posture, and swallowing—that affect your child’s dental health, facial development, and overall well-being

What Is Myofunctional Therapy?

Myofunctional therapy is a specialized treatment designed to improve the function and strength of the oral and facial muscles. Through a series of customized exercises and techniques, our team helps correct issues such as improper tongue position, mouth breathing, and difficulties with chewing or swallowing. Unlike treatments that only focus on the teeth themselves, myofunctional therapy also nurtures crucial growth and developmental patterns that can impact everything from speech to airway health.

Many parents are surprised to learn that these subtle habits—like mouth breathing—can influence their child’s entire facial structure and health. By focusing on tongue placement and training the muscles in the face, our therapy works to enhance your child’s natural facial development and establish healthy oral habits that last a lifetime.

How Myofunctional Therapy Helps Build Healthy, Happy Smiles!

By taking advantage of early treatment, you can help your child avoid or minimize future complications. This proactive approach often means fewer invasive procedures, less time spent in the dentist’s chair, and greater confidence for your child as they grow.

Bad habits like thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, and prolonged pacifier usage can cause dental misalignment, which will affect your child’s bite. Myofunctional therapy can help curb these habits and save your child more expensive orthodontic treatment in the future.

 

Myofunctional therapy encourages nasal breathing over mouth breathing. Nasal breathing warms and filters the air that enters the body to promote better oxygenation. It can improve the quality of sleep, allowing children to rest better and awake feeling more refreshed.

 

The jaw and other facial features can develop optimally when facial muscles are properly functioning. Myofunctional therapy, which encourages the correct posture of the tongue and balance in muscle use, can help support facial growth. This could reduce the need for major intervention later on.

 

Healthy oral habits can positively impact overall health. Proper breathing contributes to better posture and digestion issues. It can also support clearer speaking. Myofunctional therapy can improve many aspects of a child’s life. From increased confidence at school to better mealtimes, these children experience improvement in a variety of areas.

 

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Why is Early Intervention Important?

Early childhood is a critical window for facial growth and development. During these formative years, habits such as mouth breathing or an improper tongue position can become deeply ingrained, potentially leading to more complex issues later. Early detection and intervention with myofunctional therapy allows us to address these concerns while your child’s muscles and bones are still developing, optimizing both dental and overall health outcomes.

 

What to expect during myofunctional therapy

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Ready to Get Started?

Open Sesame Dentistry offers myofunctional therapy to help your child achieve a healthy, happy smile. You’re also supporting their long-term well-being and health. We are excited to partner with you and help your child achieve optimal oral health.

The Open Sesame Dentistry Difference

Open Sesame Dentistry understands that selecting the best pediatric dental team to care for your child is a very personal decision. We are trusted by families in New York City to care for their children’s teeth.

We understand that no two kids are the same. We tailor each treatment plan to the family’s goals and needs, whether your child is looking for help with oral habits, better bite or breathing techniques.

We’re happy to answer any questions you may have about myofunctional therapy and how it can help your child. Open Sesame Dentistry’s dedicated team is committed to holistic, comprehensive dental care that takes into account all aspects of your child’s facial and dental development. Call us at 212-874-1200 if you want to learn more about myofunctional treatment, discuss your child’s needs or schedule a consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Myofunctional Therapy is a set of exercises and techniques that are designed to improve facial and oral muscle strength and function. This therapy addresses issues such as improper tongue positioning, mouth breathing and problems with chewing or eating. This therapy is beneficial for children who have difficulty with tongue thrusting, thumb-sucking or breathing problems (particularly mouth breathing), and can correct bad habits.

Each child is unique, but the typical course of therapy can last from several months to one year. During this period, your pediatric dentist will be monitoring your child’s progress. They may adjust the exercises if necessary and make sure that your child forms healthy habits. The consistency of the exercises at home is a major factor in how quickly you see positive results.

Generally, no. The focus of myofunctional therapy is on gentle, simple exercises that children can perform. Some of these activities include practicing the correct position of the tongue, using certain breathing or swallowing techniques, or using small instruments to strengthen facial muscles. It is important to make therapy fun and enjoyable for your child so that they can easily incorporate these exercises into their daily routines.

Orthodontic treatment and myofunctional therapy can be complementary. Although therapy can correct habits and guide facial development better, some children still may require braces or orthodontic interventions to address alignment issues. By establishing good oral hygiene early on, children can reduce the complexity and duration of their future orthodontic treatment.

Open Sesame Dentistry is a specialist dental practice that combines holistic and child-friendly practices with expertise in pediatric dentistry. Our team, led by Dr. Suzanne Grady has the expertise and compassion necessary to provide personalized, results-oriented care. The kid-friendly atmosphere helps children to feel comfortable. Our commitment to stay up-to date on the latest treatments ensures every child gets the best treatment. You’re giving the foundation to a confident, healthy smile for your child, both now and in future, by partnering with us.

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