Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which breathing frequently stops and restarts. Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder that can cause heart problems, high blood pressure, stroke and other complications. There are three main types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea and complex sleep apnea syndrome. If you think you might show signs of having sleep apnea, please consult your doctor. Learn More

Mouth breathing starts when we can't get enough air through the nose. This forces us to breathe through the mouth out of sheer necessity, and this can become a lifelong habit if not corrected. It is common to breathe through your mouth when doing something strenuous, but habitual mouth breathing can lead to health issues over time.  Learn More

Tongue thrust, a dysfunctional swallow pattern resulting from a low resting tongue, can wreak havoc in the oral cavity and can lead to an open bite, flaring or tipping of the teeth, dental crowding, and relapsed orthodontics. Ideally, the tongue should rest entirely, from front to back, against the palate, serving as a natural expander for the palate during the years of craniofacial growth and the lips, if toned and closed, work as natural braces to help keep teeth in alignment. With tongue thrust, the tongue habitually rests against the back of the teeth instead of against the palate, exerting light, constant pressure against the teeth. With every swallow, the tongue pushes forward against the teeth, and these combined forces push the jaw and teeth forward and out of alignment. Learn More

You know that small fold of tissue that reaches from the floor of the mouth to the underside of your tongue? That's called your lingual frenulum.
Typically, the lingual frenulum detaches before birth, allowing the tongue to have full range of motion. If it doesn't detach fully, it can restrict your tongue's ability to move. That's called tongue tie.  Tongue tie can limit craniofacial growth and can cause issues with breathing, breast feeding, eating, talking and swallowing. Learn More

If you or someone you know has speech problems, myofunctional therapy may be able to help! In myofunctional therapy exercises are used to train and strengthen muscles and tissues that may be causing speech problems. Learn More

A Myofunctional therapist can recommend exercises to re-train the facial muscles and tongue to work properly to support the jaw. It strengthens and retrains the oral and facial muscles. It can also correct dysfunctional swallowing and chewing patterns, restore nasal breathing, and get the tongue to rest in the correct place. Learn More

The ideal time to start myofunctional therapy is before the braces are put on, but therapy can be done at any time. We address issues, such as tongue thrust and mouth breathing, that can make the orthodontic process more challenging.  Learn More

Snoring is the raspy sound air makes when vibrating off the relaxed tissues in your throat. When you fall asleep, the muscles in the roof of your mouth (soft palate), tongue and throat  can relax and partially block your airway.  When you breathe, the air vibrates against these relaxed muscles, making that raspy snoring sound. Learn More