Grab a warm beverage, and let’s dive into the transformative world of myofunctional treatment for adults. Spoiler: it’s not just for kids with braces anymore
Welcome to Lynn’s Tied Together Hub, where we get real about adult health, healing, and those sneaky issues no one talks about—like why your jaw clicks when you yawn, or why your partner lovingly (okay, not-so-lovingly) nudges you every night because of your snoring.
If you’re dealing with TMJ pain, headaches that seem to come from nowhere, embarrassing speech quirks, or even pelvic floor issues—yes, they can be connected—then this post is for you.
We will explore Myofunctional treatment, why you need it, and how it has transformed lives!
What is Myofunctional Treatment Adults?
Myofunctional treatment for adults is a therapeutic approach that targets the muscles of the face, mouth, and neck to optimize their function.
It’s like personal training for your tongue, jaw, and breathing. If you’ve had a lifetime of mouth breathing, tongue thrust, or a tethered oral tissue (tongue, lip, or cheek tie), your body has likely compensated in some not-so-fabulous ways.
This therapy focuses on correcting:
- Improper tongue posture
- Dysfunctional breathing (hello, mouth breathers)
- Swallowing patterns
- Muscle imbalances related to tethered oral tissues (TOTs)
The goal? To retrain the orofacial muscles to support better alignment, breathing, speech, and even digestion.
Why Adults Need Myofunctional Therapy—Like, Yesterday
If you’re an adult, you may have been told your window for changing oral habits closed when your baby teeth fell out. Not true. The adult body is incredibly adaptive—often too adaptive. You’ve likely compensated for dysfunctions for years.
Common adult complaints myofunctional therapy can help:
- Snoring and sleep-disordered breathing
- TMJ pain and tension
- Chronic headaches and neck strain
- Speech difficulties or mumbling
- Poor posture and even pelvic floor dysfunction
Yup, that forward head posture you rock at your desk? It can affect how your tongue rests, which in turn can influence the alignment of your entire body—down to your core muscles.
It’s Not Just in Your Head (It’s in Your Mouth, Too)
Many adults with tethered oral tissues (like tongue tie, lip tie, or cheek tie) go undiagnosed for decades. Your symptoms might have been dismissed, or worse—normalized.
“Everyone snores.”
“You just clench your jaw because you’re stressed.”
“You talk funny when you’re tired.”
These aren’t quirks. They’re signs your body is compensating for dysfunction.
My Journey into Myofunctional Treatment (and Why I Preach It from the Rooftops)
As a licensed speech-language pathologist and the founder of Lynn’s Tied Together Hub, I’ve spent years working with adults who have felt unheard, misdiagnosed, or simply fed up.
There is very little training in oral ties at the university level. That goes for Speech Therapists, ENTs, Dentists, Orthodontics, and Oral— Maxillofacial surgeons.
Luckily, I had a few dysphagia courses (feeding therapy) where oral motor exercises to improve swallowing skills were reviewed. Then I was able to secure a placement in a head trauma center where again the supervisor of the department encouraged oral motor exercises for adult patients recovering from brain injuries.
Tongue Tie in Adult Oral Assessment?
But no one ever discussed oral ties! Adults with tethered oral tissues were not even a blip on my radar. Though I was ahead of others in my field because I was comfortable examining the oral muscles and prescribed exercises to treat dysfunction.
Through my 30-plus years of practice, the terminology has shifted a bit, evolving from Oral Motor Therapy (OMT) and Oral Placement Therapy (OPT) to an umbrella term of Myofunctional therapy.
When I began my career, there was a very definitive view on oral ties for children. If it didn’t impair function, you didn’t clip it (surgically release the tight frenulum). I worked across the age ranges: infants, toddlers, school-aged children, teens, and adults.
Some of these toddlers that we did not release, but still completed oral motor exercises with, improved, and moved on. Then five years later or so, here they were back! Still tied. And oral motor skills are in dysfunction again. It was staring at me right in the face! Not releasing the oral restrictions led to future issues I couldn’t predict in a toddler.
Connecting these pieces across the age ranges allowed me to make better professional recommendations. Sometimes this was at odds with an ENT or Dental recommendation. That’s when I learned firsthand that other professions had been taught the same lie I had, don’t treat oral ties!
And that right there is how you made it to adulthood with your ties and the dysfunction they bring fully intact!
Well-meaning, but unfortunately under trained, therapists and doctors will default to “Tongue tie is a fad’ and “Lip ties will break on their own” to brush you off.
Through myofunctional treatment for adults, we get to the root, not just the symptoms.
How Myofunctional Therapy Works: A Breakdown
Let’s talk about what a typical myofunctional treatment plan looks like:
1. Comprehensive Assessment
We start by evaluating:
- Oral rest posture
- Tongue mobility
- Swallowing patterns
- Speech clarity
- Breathing habits (nasal vs. mouth)
- Tongue, lip, and cheek frenulum assessed for restrictions.
We also examine your medical history in depth because early patterns and problems help tell the whole story.
2. Therapeutic Exercises
Once we know where you’re starting from, we build a customized plan to retrain those orofacial muscles. Exercises might include:
- Tongue lifts/clicks
- Lip seal exercises
- Nasal breathing drills
- Cheek and jaw strengthening
- Swallowing coordination
- Targeted speech movements.
Each exercise aims to build awareness, control, and endurance.
3. Collaboration with Other Professionals
Because adults often have more complex needs, we work closely with:
- ENTs
- Orthodontists
- Physical therapists
- Chiropractors
- Myofascial release specialists
- Cranial sacral therapists
Tethered oral tissue release (such as a tongue tie release) might be recommended—but only when you’re ready and your muscles have been retrained for success.
Surprising Ways Myofunctional Treatment for Adults Can Transform Your Life
Let’s play a little game of “Did you know?”
- Did you know poor tongue posture can lead to facial asymmetry over time?
- Did you know mouth breathing reduces nitric oxide production (a molecule critical for cardiovascular health)?
- Did you know improving your swallow can ease digestive issues?
The ripple effects of treating oral dysfunction are enormous:
Snoring and Sleep
Your airway stays open when your tongue rests high on the palate, and your lips stay sealed. There will be no more night-time orchestras. Myofunctional exercises target increasing the tongue’s strength and range of motion to achieve improved resting posture.
If the oral motor dysfunction originated in an oral tie, such as a tongue tie, it will be addressed surgically. The myofunctional plan will allow for a complete release of the restrictive frenulum and ensure optimal recovery post-release.
TMJ and Facial Pain
Proper alignment and reduced clenching can bring long-term relief. If an oral motor dysfunction (OMD) has been slowly building over time, so has compensation into the jaw. The jaw is your bigger structure and base of support for the oral musculature.
When the oral muscles are out of balance and alignment, the jaw slowly follows suit. Myofunctional treatment for adults often includes exercises and myofascial release to address jaw misalignment and pain.
Headaches and Neck Strain
Forward head posture and neck strain can be a domino effect of open mouth posture and weak oral muscles. As mentioned, the jaw begins to compensate, and following the jaw, the neck compensates.
Headaches are commonly reported alongside TMJ/TMD and tethered oral tissues. Relieving OMDs will alleviate jaw and neck strain and improve head posture.
Pelvic Floor? Yep.
Your diaphragm, tongue, and pelvic floor all dance in the same fascial rhythm. If one is out of sync, the others compensate. An oral tie directly impacts the fascia, and adults often feel relief in places they didn’t realize were being affected by their oral dysfunction.
Clearer Speech and Confidence
Many adults have adapted their speech patterns without realizing it. Myofunctional treatment for adults helps you speak with precision and clarity. Allowing the muscles to rapidly alternate the phonemes of speech harmoniously.
Real Talk: What to Expect From Myofunctional Treatment Adults
It’s Not a Quick Fix
We’re not slapping a band-aid on your symptoms. This is foundational, deep muscle work, but it’s worth it. It will require you to perform a home program daily and be consistent in its completion.
It’s Gentle but Intense
We’re not doing burpees here, but don’t be fooled—training your tongue and oral muscles is surprisingly hard work. Myofascial release can be painful at the onset, but as the tension reduces, so does the pain. The muscles of the face are small, so they do not require deep pressure and painful movements.
It’s Empowering
You’ll start to notice subtle shifts in range of motion and strength. Then, the bigger changes—easier breathing, fewer clenching episodes, better sleep, and less snoring—begin to emerge. This helps to motivate and keep the focus on the myofunctional program.
You’re Not Alone
Our online community through Lynn’s Tied Together Hub is filled with adults just like you—reclaiming their health, one exercise at a time. Working with a trained professional can help with motivation and commitment.
Progress can be slow for some adults, leading to disappointment and questions about whether you’re on the right path. Knowing your experiences can be discussed and programs adjusted allows you to regain momentum on your journey.
Is Myofunctional Treatment Right for You?
Let’s check in. Do you:
- Wake up tired despite getting to bed early?
- Snore, gasp, or mouth breathe at night?
- Struggle with jaw pain or clenching?
- Notice your speech sounds “off”?
- Experience unexplained neck tension or headaches?
- Have a history of braces, speech therapy, or oral surgeries?
If you said yes to even a few, myofunctional treatment for adults could be a game changer.
Relapsing issues, jaw pain, braces, snoring, and body pains may have an underlying core issue. Not addressing that underlying core problem will result in compensation and muscle recruitment recurring.
Once therapy ends for your given issue, time allows the dysfunction to creep back in. Treating an OMD and restoring muscle function can eliminate issues for good. Treat the source, eliminate the problem!
Ready to Start Your Myofunctional Treatment Adults Journey?
At Lynn’s Tied Together Hub, we specialize in treating adults who are ready to stop compensating and start healing.
Whether you’re considering a tongue tie release, recovering post-surgery, or just realizing your lifelong snoring isn’t normal, this therapy can open doors (and airways).
Explore our resources library for links to preferred providers, tools, self-assessments, and more!
Looking to have better breathing, more explicit speech, and a pain-free jaw? That’s not too much to ask. That’s your birthright.
Simple analogy: If you injured your leg or ankle and required physical therapy, you would expect exercises to be prescribed. Moreover, you would understand the need to complete those exercises regularly for the best recovery time.
No one could tell you that it’s a scam and every PT is just out to make money!
Myofunctional therapy is PT for the face. It’s not a fad or a scam, and it follows the same principles: identify dysfunction, uncover the cause of the dysfunction, and prescribe exercises to restore function.
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You deserve to feel better. Let’s get you there.