Myofunctional Therapy in Warners Bay, Newcastle and Lake Macquarie

At SmilesHQ, we look beyond your teeth. We strive to support the way you breathe, sleep, swallow and grow.

The way you breathe, swallow, chew and position your tongue can all play an important role in oral function, facial development and overall wellbeing. Myofunctional therapy focuses on identifying and improving patterns involving the muscles of the mouth, tongue, lips and face.

Our oral health therapists, Casey and Ashlee, have specialised training in orofacial myology and myofunctional therapy, allowing us to provide personalised assessment and therapy for children and adults where appropriate.

What is Myofunctional Therapy?

Myofunctional therapy is a personalised program of exercises and strategies designed to improve the function and coordination of the muscles of the mouth, tongue, lips and face.

It may be recommended when there are concerns with:

• Mouth breathing or difficulty maintaining nasal breathing
• Tongue posture or tongue thrust
• Swallowing patterns
• Chewing difficulties
• Open-mouth posture
• Snoring or disrupted sleep
• Oral habits such as thumb or finger sucking
• Certain speech or oral-motor concerns
• Dental or orthodontic concerns that may be associated with oral function

Every patient is different, so the first step is understanding what is happening and whether myofunctional therapy may be appropriate.

Why Does Oral Function Matter?

The muscles of the tongue, lips and face work together every time we breathe, swallow, chew and speak.

When these patterns aren’t functioning as they should, they may contribute to a range of oral and functional concerns. Identifying these patterns can help us understand whether further assessment or therapy may be beneficial.

Myofunctional therapy does not focus on changing just one habit or movement. Instead, we look at the bigger picture and work towards developing more functional and sustainable patterns.

When you choose our dental clinic for myofunctional therapy, here's what you can expect:

• Initial screening — We begin with a short screening to understand your main concerns and determine whether a more comprehensive assessment may be appropriate. Before your appointment, we ask parents or patients to complete a questionnaire about breathing, sleeping, swallowing, oral habits and other relevant concerns. This helps our team make the most of your appointment.
• Comprehensive assessment — If further assessment is recommended, Casey or Ashlee will complete a detailed evaluation of oral and facial function. This may include assessment of breathing, tongue posture and movement, swallowing, chewing, lip function and other relevant areas.
• Personalised treatment plan — If myofunctional therapy is appropriate, we will explain our findings and develop a personalised treatment plan around your individual needs and goals.
• Therapy and home exercises — Myofunctional therapy involves active participation both in the practice and at home. Exercises and strategies are tailored to the individual and are designed to help develop new functional patterns over time.
• Progress reviews — Progress is monitored throughout the program, with regular review appointments to assess changes, adjust exercises and support continued progress.

Myofunctional Therapy at SmilesHQ

At SmilesHQ, we believe treatment should be personalised, collaborative and easy to understand.

Casey and Ashlee, our oral health therapists, work together to provide our myofunctional therapy service, bringing their specialised training in orofacial myology into the broader SmilesHQ approach to oral health.

They look at the relationship between oral function, breathing, swallowing and dental development, while considering each patient's individual needs and concerns.

Where appropriate, our team can also work alongside other healthcare professionals, such as dentists, orthodontists, ENT specialists or speech pathologists.

Our goal is to understand the bigger picture and determine whether improving oral function may form an important part of a patient's care.

If you have noticed that your child regularly breathes through their mouth, sleeps with their mouth open, snores, has an unusual tongue posture, struggles with chewing or swallowing, or has difficulty breaking an oral habit such as thumb sucking, it may be worth having their oral function assessed.

You don't need to know exactly what is causing the concern before you book. That's what the assessment is for.

The first step is simply understanding what's happening.