What is myofunctional therapy for children?
26 August 2026 · 5 min read
Physiotherapy for the muscles of the face, mouth and tongue — and a key partner to orthodontics.
Training the muscles around the teeth
Orofacial myofunctional therapy retrains the tongue, lips and facial muscles through simple daily exercises. The aims are a resting tongue on the palate, closed lips, nasal breathing and a mature swallowing pattern.
Why it supports orthodontics
Teeth sit in a balance between tongue pressure from inside and lips and cheeks from outside. If that balance is wrong, teeth drift back after treatment — which is why habits are the single biggest cause of orthodontic relapse.
What a programme looks like
Sessions are short and playful: a handful of exercises done twice a day for a few minutes over several months, with regular reviews. Children who practise consistently often see improvements in breathing, speech clarity and even posture.
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