Does My Child Need Myofunctional Therapy Before Braces?
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Braces Can Move Teeth—but What About the Muscles Around Them?
If your child is preparing for braces or clear aligners, you may be focused on the changes you can see: crowded teeth, spacing, bite alignment, or creating a healthier smile.
But there is another part of the orthodontic picture that parents may not hear as much about: how the tongue, lips, cheeks, breathing patterns, and swallowing habits function around the teeth.
Orthodontic treatment is designed to move teeth into healthier positions. Myofunctional Therapy does something different. It focuses on the muscle patterns and oral functions that surround and influence those teeth every day.
Not every child preparing for braces needs Myofunctional Therapy. However, when concerns such as mouth breathing, tongue thrust, low tongue posture, or persistent oral habits are present, identifying them before or during orthodontic treatment can help create a more coordinated approach to care.
What Is Myofunctional Therapy?
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy focuses on the muscles and functions of the mouth, tongue, lips, face, and airway.
Therapy may address areas such as:
Tongue resting posture
Nasal breathing
Lip closure at rest
Swallowing patterns
Tongue movement and coordination
Oral habits
Overall oral muscle function
Think of it as helping the muscles surrounding the teeth learn healthier patterns.
Orthodontics and Myofunctional Therapy serve different purposes, but for the right patient, they can complement one another.
Why Does Oral Function Matter During Orthodontic Treatment?
Your child's teeth don't exist in isolation.
Throughout the day, they're surrounded by pressure from the tongue, lips, and cheeks. Your child also swallows repeatedly, breathes thousands of times, speaks, eats, sleeps, and develops habits that involve these same muscles.
Ideally, these forces work together in a healthy balance.
When they don't, orthodontic treatment may be addressing tooth position while an underlying functional pattern continues.
That's why looking at how the mouth functions, not only how the teeth look, can be valuable.
What Is Proper Tongue Resting Posture?
At rest, the tongue should generally sit comfortably against the roof of the mouth rather than lying low in the mouth or pushing against the teeth.
The lips should be able to remain comfortably together, with breathing occurring through the nose when the airway allows.
For some children, this happens naturally.
Others may develop different patterns because of airway concerns, restricted tongue mobility, prolonged oral habits, or other factors.
A Myofunctional evaluation can help identify what is happening functionally.
What Is a Tongue Thrust?
A tongue thrust describes a swallowing or resting pattern in which the tongue pushes forward or between the teeth rather than functioning in a more typical pattern.
Because swallowing happens so frequently, repetitive pressure from the tongue may be important when considering oral development and orthodontic stability.
Parents may notice:
The tongue appearing between the teeth during swallowing
An open bite
Speech differences
Difficulty keeping the lips comfortably closed
Food or liquid escaping forward during swallowing
The tongue resting against or between the teeth
A tongue thrust doesn't automatically mean your child needs therapy, but it can be a reason to consider an evaluation.
What Does Mouth Breathing Have to Do With Braces?
More than many parents realize.
If your child regularly breathes through their mouth, their tongue often isn't resting against the roof of the mouth.
Instead, it may remain lower to help maintain an open pathway for breathing.
Persistent mouth breathing can be associated with a number of underlying factors, so the goal should never be to simply tell a child to "close your mouth."
The reason for the mouth breathing needs to be understood.
Depending on the situation, this may involve collaboration among professionals such as:
Dentists
Orthodontists
ENTs
Pediatricians
Allergists
Sleep specialists
Myofunctional Therapists
Myofunctional Therapy is part of that collaborative picture when functional retraining is appropriate.
Signs Your Child May Benefit From an Evaluation Before or During Braces
Consider discussing an evaluation with your child's care team if you notice:
Frequent mouth breathing
Open-mouth posture at rest
Tongue thrust
Low tongue resting posture
Snoring or sleep-related concerns
Difficulty maintaining lip closure
Thumb or finger sucking
Prolonged pacifier habits
Restricted tongue mobility
Previous or planned frenectomy
Teeth beginning to shift after previous orthodontic treatment
Concerns raised by your child's orthodontist or dentist
One symptom alone doesn't establish that Myofunctional Therapy is necessary. The goal of an evaluation is to understand the overall functional picture.
Should Myofunctional Therapy Happen Before Braces?
Sometimes.
There isn't one timeline that is appropriate for every patient.
For some children, beginning therapy before orthodontics allows them to start working on breathing, tongue posture, swallowing, or oral habits before tooth movement begins.
For others, Myofunctional Therapy and orthodontic treatment may occur at the same time.
And in some cases, therapy may be most appropriate later.
The ideal timing depends on:
Your child's age
Functional concerns
Orthodontic treatment plan
Airway considerations
Oral habits
Tongue mobility
Provider recommendations
This is one reason communication between the Myofunctional Therapist and orthodontic team can be so valuable.
Myofunctional Therapy Does Not Replace Orthodontics
This distinction is important.
Myofunctional Therapy does not straighten teeth or replace braces, clear aligners, retainers, or orthodontic treatment.
Likewise, braces aren't designed to teach the tongue where to rest or retrain a dysfunctional swallowing pattern.
The two disciplines address different parts of the same oral environment.
When both structural and functional concerns are present, collaborative care may provide a more comprehensive approach.
What Happens During a Myofunctional Evaluation?
At Face Value Myofunctional Therapy, an evaluation looks beyond whether the teeth are straight.
Areas assessed may include:
Breathing patterns
Tongue resting posture
Lip posture
Tongue mobility
Swallowing patterns
Oral habits
Muscle coordination
Relevant airway concerns
Overall oral function
The goal isn't to put every child into therapy.
It's to determine whether a functional concern exists and, if so, what next steps may be appropriate.
What About After the Braces Come Off?
Orthodontic treatment doesn't end the moment braces are removed.
Retainers remain an important part of maintaining orthodontic results, and patients should always follow their orthodontist's recommendations.
But long-term stability may also be influenced by the environment surrounding the teeth.
Healthy tongue posture, swallowing patterns, nasal breathing, and oral habits can all be part of that picture.
That's why Myofunctional Therapy may sometimes be considered before, during, or after orthodontic treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every child with braces need Myofunctional Therapy?
No.
Myofunctional Therapy is recommended based on functional needs, not simply because someone is receiving orthodontic treatment.
Can Myofunctional Therapy straighten my child's teeth?
No.
Orthodontists move and align teeth. Myofunctional Therapy focuses on oral muscle function, breathing patterns, tongue posture, swallowing, and related habits.
Can my child receive Myofunctional Therapy while wearing braces?
In many cases, yes. The appropriate timing depends on the individual treatment plan and should be coordinated with the providers involved.
What if my child already finished braces?
An evaluation may still be useful when concerns such as mouth breathing, tongue thrust, oral habits, or orthodontic relapse are present.
Will Myofunctional Therapy prevent orthodontic relapse?
No treatment can guarantee that teeth will never move. Retainer use and orthodontic follow-up remain essential. Myofunctional Therapy may help address functional patterns that can influence the oral environment.
Continue Learning
You may also find these Face Value resources helpful:
Why Orthodontic Relapse Happens (And What Parents Can Do About It)
Why Mouth Breathing Matters More Than Most Parents Realize
5 Signs Your Child May Benefit From Myofunctional Therapy
Tongue Ties: What Every Parent Should Know Before and After a Frenectomy
What Is Proper Tongue Posture and Why Does It Matter?
About the Author
Reviewed and Written by
Emilee Hyland, RDH
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist
Founder, Face Value Myofunctional Therapy
Emilee works with children and adults to improve breathing, tongue posture, swallowing patterns, oral function, and airway health through personalized Myofunctional Therapy. She collaborates with dentists, orthodontists, and other healthcare providers to help patients build healthier functional patterns.
Preparing for Braces and Wondering About Oral Function?
If your child mouth breathes, tongue thrusts, struggles with oral habits, or has other functional concerns, a Myofunctional evaluation can help you better understand what's happening before or during orthodontic treatment.