Myofunctional therapy
Myofunctional therapy for kids in Kharghar, made playful
How a child breathes, swallows and rests their tongue affects how the mouth and face grow. Myofunctional therapy is a set of simple, playful exercises that train the tongue, lips and cheeks to work well, and it often goes hand in hand with braces and other treatment.
Habits, not hardware, so the muscles help the teeth rather than push against them.
- Always
- Parents stay in the room, from hello to goodbye
Signs worth an assessment
Any one of these on its own may be nothing. A pattern is worth looking at.
Breathing through the mouth by day, or snoring and a dry mouth at night.
Lips that are often apart when your child is resting or concentrating.
Thumb or finger sucking that carries on past the toddler years.
The tongue pushing against the teeth when swallowing or speaking.
A lisp, or noisy, messy eating, which can point to how the tongue is working.
Teeth that keep moving back after braces, or an open bite.
How therapy works
Look at the whole picture
We watch how your child breathes, swallows and speaks, and look at the teeth, tongue and bite.
Agree a plan
Dr. Nupur explains what she has seen in plain words, and which exercises are likely to help.
Practise together
Your child learns short, game-like exercises, in the clinic and then at home with you.
Review and adjust
We check progress at follow-up visits and adjust the plan as habits change.
In detail
Myofunctional therapy, explained
Why muscles matter
Teeth sit between the tongue on one side and the lips and cheeks on the other. When those muscles rest and move in a healthy way, the teeth and jaws tend to grow into good positions.
When the tongue sits low, the lips stay open or a swallow pushes forward, the pressure can work against the teeth. Training the muscles can help, especially alongside orthodontic care.
Where it fits with other care
Mouth breathing sometimes has a cause that needs a different specialist, such as blocked nasal passages. If we think so, we will say, and suggest you see an ENT doctor.
A tongue tie can also limit tongue movement. If we think that is part of the picture, we will check and talk to you about it.
Making it work at home
- Little and often beats long sessions. A few minutes a day is plenty.
- Turn exercises into games, and join in yourself.
- Praise effort, not perfection.
- Tell us what is hard, and we will change the plan.
Questions, answered
If yours is not here, call the clinic and ask. Nothing about a child’s teeth or comfort is too small to check.
Call +91 96190 00971What age can myofunctional therapy start?
It depends on your child. Exercises usually need a child who can follow instructions and enjoy a game, so Dr. Nupur will tell you whether it is the right time.
Is it painful?
No. It is exercises and habit change, with nothing sharp and no injections.
How long does it take?
It varies a great deal from child to child, because it depends on how consistently exercises are practised. We will review progress with you rather than promise a timeline.
Will it stop my child sucking their thumb?
It can help, because we address why the habit continues and replace it with something else. Willingness matters most, so we work with your child and not against them.
Do we still need braces?
Sometimes. Therapy can support orthodontic care, or in some children reduce the need for it, but we will not promise either.