Tri-State Myofunctional Therapy

10/07/2025

Described so well!

👅 The Tongue: An Organ Made of Muscles!

Did you know your tongue is an organ made up of a group of eight muscles that work together 24/7 to help you eat, speak, swallow, breathe, and taste?

Let’s break it down 👇

💪 Intrinsic muscles (4 total) — shape the tongue:
• Superior longitudinal
• Inferior longitudinal
• Transverse
• Vertical

💪 Extrinsic muscles (4 total) — move the tongue around:
• Genioglossus
• Hyoglossus
• Styloglossus
• Palatoglossus

Each muscle plays a unique role, allowing the tongue to move precisely — from forming words to positioning food or maintaining proper oral posture.

Why optimal range of motion matters:
A tongue that moves and rests properly supports clear speech, effective swallowing, balanced facial growth, airway stability, and better breathing and sleep.

This small but mighty organ truly does it all!

10/01/2025

I enjoyed my 2 sessions of Red Light Therapy over the weekend! I think this is going to help my patients with tension and pain so much!

09/30/2025

A highlight for me from the IAOM conference was the opportunity to meet Dr. David McIntosh, Airway ENT from Australia! It was so good to hear him speak! BTW, I bought a couple of his books, let me know if you’d like to borrow!

09/30/2025

IAOM 2025 Conference in Salt Lake City, UT this past weekend. The weekend was filled with learning, brainstorming, lots of FUN, learning from vendors and purchasing some cool products!

08/29/2025

Lip seal and nasal breathing during exercise increases oxygen efficiency and improves endurance! A 30 minute spin class with mostly nasal breathing…and I am energized for the day!

08/10/2025

Breathing through your nose isn’t just ideal—it’s essential for proper sleep, posture, and overall health. Nasal breathing supports oxygen delivery, reduces fatigue, and helps regulate nervous system function.

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy can retrain the muscles of the face and mouth to support functional breathing habits, both day and night.

👉 However, if there’s a structural issue—like enlarged tonsils, a deviated septum, or tongue-tie—it must be evaluated and addressed for long-term success.

Breathe better. Live better.

08/10/2025

This 👍👍👍

Did you know that by age 5, a child’s facial structure is already 85% of its adult size?

This isn’t just an interesting fact — it’s a wake-up call. Craniofacial growth is happening rapidly in the early years, and if it’s going in the wrong direction, waiting to address it can mean missing the window for optimal development.

Many kids show signs of dysfunctional growth patterns early on — mouth breathing, poor sleep, snoring, dark under eyes, crowded teeth — but these red flags are too often dismissed as “normal.”

The truth is: they’re not normal — they’re common. And left unaddressed, they can affect airway health, sleep quality, behavior, and even cognitive development.

That’s why tools like the Fairest-6 — a simple screening tool to catch these signs early, when intervention is most effective and least invasive.

If you’re noticing these signs, don’t wait to ask questions. Depending on the child’s age and symptoms, support may come from:
• An airway-focused pediatric dentist
• A ENT
• A myofunctional therapist
• Or a speech-language pathologist (SLP) trained in oral motor skills and feeding

Early, collaborative care can make all the difference.

Learn more at www.thebreatheinstitute.com



Albert, A. M., Ricanek, K., Patterson, E., & Cuervo, L. J. (2019). Craniofacial changes in children—Birth to late adolescence. ARC Journal of Forensic Science, 4(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.20431/2456-0049.0401001

08/09/2025

The power of proper oral rest posture 🤩

07/10/2025

The progression of sleep disordered breathing!

07/07/2025

What effect does Myofunctional therapy have on sleep apnea?

07/02/2025

What is sleep apnea?

06/29/2025

Had a wonderful time visiting our daughter Shelby in Europe!