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105A-19151 Fraser Hwy, Surrey, BC V3S 7H2
MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPY AT CLAYTON MARKET DENTAL IN SURREY
If you or your child struggles with mouth breathing, tongue thrust, orthodontic relapse, or jaw tension, you may need more than traditional dental care. That’s where Myofunctional Therapy comes in. At Clayton Market Dental in Surrey, we use guided exercises to retrain oral and facial muscles, helping improve breathing, posture, and overall function. This approach supports orthodontic stability, better sleep, and long-term oral health
Understanding Myofunctional Therapy
Myofunctional therapy (OMT) uses specific, guided exercises to retrain the tongue, lips, cheeks, and breathing patterns. The goals are to establish nasal breathing, proper tongue posture, a healthy swallow, and balanced muscle function around the face, jaws, and neck. It’s a conservative, exercise-based approach that works alongside dentistry, orthodontics, ENT care, and speech-language therapy.
WHO CAN IT HELP?
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Neck tension, jaw pain & TMD-related myofascial pain.
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Orthodontic stability/retention (helping reduce relapse risk after braces or aligners).
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Sleep-disordered breathing (snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, as an adjunct to medical care).
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Speech/articulation concerns linked to oral-motor patterns.
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Pre-and post-frenectomy (tongue-tie and lip-tie) to improve mobility and function.
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Myofunctional disorders & oral habits (mouth breathing, tongue thrust, low tongue posture, open-mouth rest posture, prolonged pacifier/thumb habits).
HOW MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPY HELPS
1) MYOFUNCTIONAL DISORDERS (MOUTH BREATHING, TONGUE THRUST, LOW TONGUE POSTURE)
OMT trains nasal breathing, correct tongue resting posture to the palate, lip seal, and a mature swallow. These changes support healthier craniofacial growth in children and more efficient oral function at any age.
2) ORTHODONTIC PRE-INTERVENTION, RETENTION & STABILITY
Even excellent orthodontic finishes can relapse if muscle patterns (e.g., tongue-thrust swallow, low tongue posture) aren’t addressed. By strengthening correct tongue posture and swallow mechanics—and reinforcing nasal breathing—OMT can support long-term stability.
Before orthodontic treatment, myofunctional therapy helps train nasal breathing and proper tongue-to-palate posture. The tongue acts like a gentle, natural “expander” that supports the maxilla to grow wider and slightly forward. With balanced muscle forces and a mature swallow, the upper arch can develop closer to its genetic potential, creating more room for erupting teeth and reducing the risk of crowding (and sometimes the need for aggressive expansion or extractions).
Correcting open-mouth rest and low-tongue habits early also makes any later orthodontic treatment simpler and more stable. OMT doesn’t replace braces, but it prepares the airway and muscles so orthodontics work with growth, not against it.
3) SLEEP-DISORDERED BREATHING (SNORING & OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA)
Myofunctional therapy helps with sleep-disordered breathing by training the habits and muscles that keep the airway open at night. We focus on nasal breathing, a gentle tongue-to-palate rest posture, lip seal, and a mature swallow to strengthen and coordinate the upper-airway dilator muscles. As these patterns improve, the airway tends to be less collapsible, often reducing snoring, mouth breathing, and nighttime jaw clenching, and sleep quality can improve. For children, this also supports healthier facial growth; for adults, it works best alongside medical care (e.g., CPAP or an oral appliance) to enhance comfort and adherence. It’s a conservative, exercise-based approach that targets the root behaviours behind airway stress rather than just masking symptoms.
4) NECK TENSION, JAW PAIN & TMD-RELATED MYFASCIAL PAIN
Jaw and neck muscles are interconnected. Retraining oral posture and function can reduce overload on the masticatory system and improve cervical mechanics.
Myofunctional therapy can ease neck and facial tension by restoring balanced muscle function around the tongue, jaw, and neck. When the tongue rests low or you mouth-breathe, the jaw and cervical muscles work overtime to keep the airway open, which fuels clenching, headaches, and forward-head posture. OMT retrains a gentle tongue-to-palate rest posture, lips together, nasal breathing, and a mature swallow. As these patterns normalize, load on the TMJs and cervical muscles drops, coordination improves, and many patients notice fewer tension headaches, less jaw fatigue, and a lighter, more relaxed neck.
5) SPEECH/ARTICULATION SUPPORT
When speech errors are associated with oral-motor patterns (e.g., interdental /s/ from tongue-thrust), therapy addresses tongue placement, strength/coordination, and oral rest posture—often in collaboration with a speech-language pathologist.
6) PRE- AND POST-FRENECTOMY SUPPORT (TONGUE-TIE AND LIP-TIE)
Myofunctional therapy pairs perfectly with a frenectomy. Before release, it preps the tongue and floor-of-mouth by building gentle mobility, tongue-to-palate resting posture, nasal breathing, and a mature swallow—so tissues are pliable and compensations are reduced. After release, it guides safe, graded range-of-motion and re-patterns swallowing, speech sounds, and oral rest posture to stabilize the new mobility and lower the risk of re-tightening. Working with your dentist/ENT/SLP, we turn the procedure into everyday function—easier breathing, more
comfortable eating and speaking, and a calmer jaw/neck.
WHAT TO EXPECT WITH US
1. CONSULT & ASSESSMENT – We review health/airway history, sleep and habits, oral rest posture, tongue mobility, breathing pattern, and swallowing.
2. PERSONALIZED PLAN – Short, daily home exercises (5–10 minutes, 1–2×/day) with in-office or virtual progress visits.
3. TEAM-BASED CARE – We coordinate with your dentist/orthodontist, ENT, and/or SLP as needed.
4. TYPICAL TIMELINE – 6–12 visits over 3–6 months, depending on goals (orthodontic retention, sleep adjunct, TMD support, or pre/post-release work).
(OMT complements—not replaces—medical/dental treatment; sleep apnea must be diagnosed/managed by a physician.)
RESULTS OF MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPY
WHAT OUR PATIENTS SAY
I have noticed that my jaw is no longer tense or in pain. I sleep better and can enjoy eating without worrying about my jaw clicking. My speech has improved and so has my car singing.
The tension in my neck and shoulder has also reduced and so has the frequency of my headaches.
I strongly suggest giving myofunctional therapy a try. Monica is an experienced professional and makes learning the techniques fun and enjoyable. She is willing to listen to your problems and work with you in and out of the office for any support you may need. As someone who has done both physiotherapy and myofunctional therapy. Myofunctional therapy is significantly more enjoyable. If you are worried about time, a lot of the activities can be done while working, driving, working out or crafting. Myofunctional therapy will fit into your life and the results will surprise you. It will change your life.
- Jennifer
i never thought that my tongue could create a bowl, but I was so proud when I was able to do it for the first time. Additionally, I have been pleasantly surprised when I could roll my R's this is the first time in a long time that I have been able to do that. It has been amazing to watch and learn what I can do, a lot of the activities can be done while I am working on other things.
Seeing my own growth and skills develop has been an amazing experience and I recommend it to anyone who is experiencing tension.
One of the worst symptoms I experienced before starting therapy was continuous tension and clicking in my jaw. This grinding, tension, and clicking in my jaw would often lead to headaches and discomfort while eating and sleeping. Myofunctional therapy has helped me breath better with correct tongue posture and eliminated my grinding and headaches.
IS MYOFUNCTIONAL THERAPY RIGHT FOR YOU?
You may benefit if you or your child has: mouth breathing, snoring, tongue-tie, orthodontic relapse/open bite, TMD/jaw or neck tension, daytime sleepiness, speech sounds affected by tongue placement, or difficulty maintaining lips together/tongue-to-palate posture.
Reach out to us for a consultation. Our professionals will provide you with thorough examinations and help you decide whether you should opt for Myofunctional Therapy.
