FAQ

An orofacial myofunctional therapist is kind of like a personal trainer — but instead of working with arms or legs, they focus on the muscles of the face, mouth, and tongue. Their job is to help people use these muscles the right way, especially when it comes to things like breathing, swallowing, speaking, and even how the tongue rests in the mouth.

Why does this matter? Well, if the tongue isn’t in the right place, or if a child is always breathing through their mouth instead of their nose, it can lead to speech problems, trouble sleeping, dental issues, or even changes in the shape of the face as they grow.

For example, let’s say your child had a habit of thumb sucking or always keeps their mouth open while resting. An orofacial myofunctional therapist would work with them (and sometimes with you!) to teach gentle exercises to retrain those muscles and build healthy habits that can improve overall development — often alongside a dentist, orthodontist, or speech therapist.

Think of it as helping the mouth grow strong and smart, just like we do with the rest of the body.

Great question! Think of an orofacial myofunctional therapist (OMT) as someone who helps with how your mouth, tongue, and face muscles work—especially for breathing, speaking, chewing, and sleeping.

You might consider seeing one if you or your child:

• Breathe through the mouth a lot instead of the nose (especially while sleeping).

• Snore or sleep poorly, even if there are no other health problems.

• Have speech issues like trouble saying certain sounds clearly.

• Struggle with eating or chewing (picky eaters or slow eaters can sometimes be a clue).

• Have tongue tie or had it treated but still have muscle habits that need retraining.

• Always have their tongue pushed against or between the teeth, which can affect how teeth line up or how braces work.

• Clench or grind their teeth—especially at night.

• Have poor posture, especially in the head and neck area, that seems connected to breathing or jaw habits.

In short, if something feels “off” with how the mouth or face works—whether it’s your child’s speech, your own sleep quality, or something a dentist or orthodontist has flagged—an OMT can help figure out if those muscle habits are part of the problem.

We do!  In fact, we take the widest variety of insurance anywhere in the area.