Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy in Edmonton & St. Albert
Orofacial myofunctional therapy for correcting tongue posture, breathing, and swallowing patterns to support healthy oral function, facial development, and lasting results.
Who we Serve
How we rest the tongue, lips, and jaw matters more than most people realize. When the tongue sits low and forward, or habits like thumb-sucking continue, the steady pressure on the teeth can slowly change how they line up and how they meet — the bite (or “occlusion”). Over time this can open the bite and change the space inside the mouth, which can affect breathing, the way the face grows, chewing and swallowing, clear speech, and even sleep. Together, these habits, resting positions, and movement patterns are known as orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs).
Orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) is a program that addresses these habits, resting positions, and muscle-movement patterns through individualized exercises and daily home practice. At Ruby Speech Therapy, it is provided by a Speech-Language Pathologist trained in Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy, serving St. Albert, Edmonton, and Northern Alberta.
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Orofacial myofunctional therapy helps reduce oral habits and trains the tongue, lips, and jaw to rest in the correct position so you can breathe comfortably through your nose and chew and swallow with good coordination. We build these patterns through targeted exercises and consistent daily practice until they become automatic.
What orofacial myofunctional therapy is not
It is not dental or orthodontic treatment. Dentists and orthodontists work on how the teeth fit together and move teeth and jaw directly. Myofunctional therapy works on closed lip, teeth-apart, tongue-to-palate resting posture and coordinating movement of the mouth and face muscles creating the healthy environment for the mouth and face to develop normally.
It is not speech-sound therapy. When posture gets in the way of certain sounds, orofacial myofunctional therapy supports the work your speech-language pathologist does rather than replace it.
What orofacial myofunctional therapy works on
Resting posture of the tongue, lips, and jaw — tongue up, lips gently closed, breathing through the nose.
Chewing and swallowing — correcting a tongue-thrust (or “reverse”) swallow so eating is comfortable and coordinated.
Reducing oral habits — thumb, finger, or pacifier sucking and nail biting (usually a first step).
Supporting clear speech and orthodontic results — working alongside your speech-language pathologist, dentist, or orthodontist.
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Orofacial myofunctional disorders often go unrecognized because the signs look like ordinary habits. This quick self-check can help you decide whether an assessment is worth your time. It is informational only — not a diagnosis.
Breathing & sleep
Breathes through the mouth during the day
Sleeps with the mouth open, snores, or is a restless sleeper
Lips are usually apart at rest, rather than gently closed
Tongue & swallowing
Tongue pushes forward against or between the teeth when swallowing.
Tongue tends to rest low in the mouth or against the teeth
Chewing and swallowing look effortful, messy, or involves a lot of lip movement
Oral habits
Thumb-, finger-, or pacifier-sucking continuing past age 2
Frequent nail biting, or chewing on clothing, pens, or other objects
Speech & feeding
A lisp or unclear “s,” “z,” or “r” sounds
Tongue pushes forward against or between the teeth when speaking
Slow, messy, or picky eating; difficulty managing certain textures
Drooling beyond the toddler years
Dental & orthodontic
An open bite, or teeth that shifted back (relapsed) after braces
A dentist or orthodontist has mentioned “tongue thrust,” “mouth breathing,” or “low tongue posture”
If several of these sound familiar, it doesn’t mean anything is wrong — but it does mean an assessment could give you clear answers. Our Speech-Language Pathologist trained in orofacial myofunctional therapy can tell you whether these patterns are present and whether therapy would help.
What Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy Helps With
These patterns overlap and affect one another, so we look at the whole system — tongue, lips, jaw, breathing, and swallowing — and build one plan. Here is what orofacial myofunctional therapy focuses on, and how it helps.
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This is the foundation of orofacial myofunctional therapy. When the tongue rests low or forward and the lips stay apart, the mouth breathes instead of the nose. We train a comfortable resting posture — tongue up, lips gently closed — and nasal breathing, so the muscles support healthy development rather than work against it.
Important: Mouth breathing can have a physical cause, such as enlarged tonsils or adenoids, or allergies. We make sure this is checked by your physician or ENT before or alongside therapy.
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With a tongue-thrust (or “reverse”) swallow, the tongue pushes forward against or between the teeth instead of lifting to the roof of the mouth. We retrain where the tongue goes during swallowing so that everyday eating and drinking become smoother and more coordinated.
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Ending a thumb, finger, or pacifier habit (or nail biting) is usually the first step, because the habit works against the posture we are trying to build. We use a positive, child-led approach, never shaming, and then train healthy resting posture once the habit is resolved.
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If a tongue-tie is limiting how the tongue moves, the release itself is done by a dentist, ENT, or physician. We prepare the muscles beforehand and retrain movement and resting posture afterward, so the new mobility actually translates into better function.
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When a low or forward tongue posture affects sounds like “s,” “z,”, “l” or “r,” orofacial myofunctional therapy corrects the posture that gets in the way. This supports and does not replace the speech-sound therapy your speech-language pathologist provides.
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By establishing proper oral resting posture and nasal breathing,orofacial myofunctional therapy helps create the environment that supports typical dental development and orthodontic treatment and lowers the chance that teeth drift back (relapse) after braces or aligners.
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Proper oral resting posture can play a role in snoring and restless sleep. When a physician or sleep specialist recommends it, we provide the myofunctional part of a larger plan — improving nasal breathing, and oral rest posture.
Important: Orofacial myofunctional therapy is not a stand-alone treatment for sleep apnea or any sleep disorder. Snoring and disrupted sleep should be evaluated by a physician or sleep specialist. We work as part of the team, not in place of medical care.
Tongue-Tie & Frenectomy Support
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The release itself (a frenectomy or frenotomy) is done by a qualified provider — often a dentist, ENT, or physician. Releasing the tissue does not automatically change how the tongue moves; the tongue still has to learn to rest and move correctly. That retraining is what orofacial myofunctional therapy provides.
Before a release (pre-frenectomy):
Assessment of tongue mobility, resting posture, and function
Exercises to prepare the tongue and surrounding muscles
Coordination with the provider performing the release
After a release (post-frenectomy):
Exercises that encourage healing and full range of motion
Retraining tongue resting posture and swallowing
Helping the new mobility translate into lasting, everyday function
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We provide the assessment and the orofacial myofunctional therapy before and after a release.
We do not perform the release itself. If an assessment suggests a release may help, we explain why and coordinate with the right provider so you have one connected plan.
Infant feeding and lactation-related tongue-tie is a specialized area; contact us and we will advise on the right support or referral.
Who We Serve
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Early attention to breathing, tongue posture, and oral habits can support healthy development. Therapy for children is positive, playful, and paced for their age.
What we help with:
Mouth breathing & resting posture (tongue up, lips closed, nose breathing)
Tongue thrust & swallowing
Ending thumb, finger, or pacifier habits (a first step)
Posture retraining before and after a tongue-tie release
Support for clear speech, alongside your speech-language pathologist
Preparation for, or support during, orthodontics
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The teen years are when orthodontic treatment and self-image often intersect. We address the resting-posture and swallowing patterns that affect orthodontic results, respectfully and age-appropriately.
What we help with:
Supporting orthodontic results and reducing the chance of relapse
Mouth breathing & resting posture
Tongue thrust & swallowing
Support for clear speech, alongside your speech-language pathologist
Ending any lingering oral habits (a first step)
Posture retraining before and after a tongue-tie release
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Orofacial myofunctional therapy patterns typically don’t resolve on their own with age. For adults, therapy often focuses on protecting orthodontic results, correcting longstanding resting-posture and swallowing patterns, and supporting a broader care team.
What we help with:
Protecting orthodontic results (reducing relapse)
Mouth breathing & resting posture
Tongue thrust & swallowing
Jaw-tension and oral habits
Posture retraining before and after a tongue-tie release
Myofunctional support for snoring or disrupted sleep (as part of a medical team)
Our Approach to Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy
Orofacial myofunctional therapy therapy works when the new patterns become automatic. Our approach is built around accurate assessment, individualized exercises, and the consistent practice that makes change stick.
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Orofacial myofunctional therapy at Ruby Speech Therapy is provided by our registered Speech-Language Pathologist trained in orofacial myofunctional therapy. We use approaches grounded in current evidence, and we are clear about what therapy can and cannot do.
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There is no one-size-fits-all plan. After a thorough assessment, we build exercises matched to your specific patterns — resting posture, nasal breathing, chewing and swallowing — and progress them as you improve.
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The goal isn’t doing an exercise correctly once in the room — it’s for the correct resting posture, nasal breathing, and swallow to become automatic all day. We coach the daily home practice that makes the change last.
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Myofunctional patterns connect with dental, orthodontic, speech, and medical care. With your consent, we coordinate with your dentist, orthodontist, speech-language pathologist, ENT, or physician so everyone is working toward the same result.
What to Expect
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No doctor’s referral is required. Complete our online referral form with your information and concerns — or ask your dentist or orthodontist to refer you. Our team will contact you within 1–2 business days to schedule an assessment.
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You will meet with our Speech-Language Pathologist trained in orofacial myofunctional therapy for a thorough assessment (typically 60–90 minutes) of the oral and facial muscles, resting posture, breathing, chewing and swallowing.
Evaluation of tongue resting posture, lip seal, and breathing pattern
Assessment of chewing and swallowing patterns.
Screening of tongue and lip mobility (including signs of lip or tongue-tie) and relevant oral habits
Review of dental/orthodontic history and your goals
Photos, videos, and simple measurements are taken to help make clinical decisions and recommendations as well as track progress (with consent)
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Your therapist will explain what they found, whether an orofacial myofunctional disorder is present, and recommend a personalized program.
A clear explanation of findings
A recommended plan, frequency, and expected duration
Any recommended referrals (e.g., to a dentist, orthodontist, ENT, or physician)
A written summary for your records and to share with other professionals
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Sessions are typically 30–60 minutes and occur on a regular schedule (usually weekly). Each session introduces and refines exercises and reviews your home practice.
Learning and refining each exercise with hands-on coaching
Progress checks and adjustments
Daily home exercises — the core of orofacial myofunctional therapy success — assigned and reviewed each visit
Sessions are available in person at our St. Albert location or virtually — Orofacial myofunctional therapy may be adapted to online delivery.
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We track your progress, advance your program as patterns improve, and keep you (and any collaborating professionals, with consent) informed.
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When the correct resting posture, nasal breathing, and swallow have become automatic, we complete the program together and give you the strategies to maintain your results long-term.
For Dental & Orthodontic Partners
We work with dentists, orthodontists, pediatric dentists, ENTs, and physicians. If you are seeing tongue thrust, mouth breathing, an open bite, orthodontic relapse, or a tongue-tie, we provide the orofacial myofunctional therapy that supports your treatment.
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Orofacial myofunctional therapy is provided by our registered speech-language pathologist trained in orofacial myofunctional therapy: so your patients also benefit from expertise in speech and swallowing.
Supports your outcomes: by building a closed lip , tongue-to-palate resting posture with nasal breathing, we help create the environment that supports your treatment and lowers the chance of relapse.
Clear communication: with patient consent, we share assessment findings and progress so care stays coordinated.
Multidisciplinary care: Ruby Therapy also offers speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, dietitian services, and counselling, so your patients can access coordinated care under one roof.
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Tongue resting posture, lip seal, and breathing pattern
Chewing and Swallowing pattern and tongue thrust
Tongue and lip mobility and signs of restriction (lip or tongue-tie)
Relevant oral habits (thumb, finger, pacifier, and others)
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Send patients to our referral form, or provide them the link directly
Refer clinician-to-clinician: contact our team to coordinate a specific patient’s care
We confirm receipt and keep you informed at the assessment and key milestones (with consent)
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