Myofunctional Therapy After a Frenectomy (Post-Frenectomy Therapy)

A frenectomy is an important procedure that releases a restrictive frenum — most commonly a tongue tie or lip tie — to give the tongue or lip greater freedom of movement. While this release is a vital first step toward improving oral function, it does not automatically retrain the tongue or surrounding muscles.

This is where myofunctional therapy becomes essential. Over time, the tongue adapts to restriction by developing compensatory habits. Without retraining, these old patterns can persist, limiting the benefits of the frenectomy and even causing the tissue to reattach. Post-frenectomy therapy ensures that the tongue learns how to move, rest, and function correctly, creating lasting and life-changing results.

Why Post-Frenectomy Therapy is Essential

Preventing Reattachment
After a frenectomy, the surgical site is prone to forming scar tissue. If not properly managed, this tissue can tighten and reattach, reversing the progress made by the procedure. Myofunctional therapy uses specialized exercises to keep the area active and flexible, ensuring optimal healing and long-term mobility.

Improving Tongue Mobility and Function
For many individuals, lifting, extending, or moving the tongue side-to-side has never been possible. Therapy helps the tongue explore this new range of motion while building the strength and coordination needed for essential functions like swallowing, chewing, and speech.

Establishing Proper Resting Posture
The ultimate goal is to train the tongue to rest naturally on the roof of the mouth. This position is crucial for nasal breathing, proper jaw development, and preventing orthodontic relapse. Without therapy, this posture is difficult to achieve, even after a successful release.

Correcting Compensatory Habits
When the tongue is restricted, the brain and muscles adapt by developing dysfunctional patterns such as mouth breathing, tongue thrust swallowing, and jaw clenching. Therapy helps replace these habits with healthy neuromuscular patterns, improving oral and airway health while reducing strain on surrounding muscles.

How It Works

Myofunctional therapy works much like physical therapy but focuses on the muscles of the face, tongue, and throat. The primary goal is to restore proper function in four key areas:

• Tongue Posture: Training the tongue to rest gently against the roof of the mouth, keeping the airway open and stable.
• Mouth Breathing: Encouraging nasal breathing to improve airway health and oxygen intake.
• Swallowing Patterns: Teaching proper swallowing techniques to prevent undue pressure on teeth and the jaw.
• Oral Muscle Strength: Strengthening the muscles of the tongue, lips, and throat to support healthy breathing and prevent airway collapse during sleep.

Therapy typically involves 10 minutes of simple exercises twice a day. Over time, these consistent, targeted movements create profound, lasting changes in breathing, swallowing, and overall oral function.

Clenching, Grinding, and Neck Pain Connection

Many people who experience jaw issues also suffer from clenching or grinding their teeth, a condition known as bruxism. While this may seem like just a dental concern, it often leads to significant pain in the neck and shoulders due to the interconnected nature of these muscles.

How Clenching and Grinding Cause Neck Pain

• Muscle Overuse: The chewing muscles — especially the masseter and temporalis — are among the strongest in the body. When clenching or grinding occurs, these muscles remain in a constant state of intense contraction, often for hours during sleep, leading to fatigue, tenderness, and tightness.
• Referred Pain: Jaw tension often spreads to the neck, shoulders, and upper back, causing discomfort and headaches.
• Postural Imbalance: Chronic jaw tension can result in a forward head posture, which puts additional strain on the neck and upper back muscles.
• Underlying Causes: Bruxism is often linked to deeper issues such as stress, anxiety, or airway problems like sleep apnea, where the body subconsciously clenches to keep the airway open during sleep.

How Myofunctional Therapy Helps with Clenching and Neck Pain

Myofunctional therapy addresses the root causes of clenching and grinding rather than just the symptoms. By retraining the orofacial and airway muscles, therapy helps reduce tension, improve posture, and promote long-term relief.

• Muscle Retraining: Exercises strengthen and coordinate the tongue, lips, and facial muscles, creating a stable and balanced oral environment.
• Correct Tongue Posture: A tongue that rests too low in the mouth can destabilize the jaw and lead to poor posture. Therapy trains the tongue to rest correctly, easing tension on the jaw and neck.
• Improved Nasal Breathing: Many clenchers are also mouth breathers. Nasal breathing exercises improve oxygen intake and reduce the body's need to clench during sleep, lowering strain on the jaw and surrounding muscles.
• Reduced Muscle Over-Activity: By restoring balance, therapy teaches the muscles to relax when not in use, reducing unconscious clenching and grinding while alleviating pain and headaches.

A Lasting Solution

When combined with a frenectomy, myofunctional therapy provides a complete solution — releasing restrictions, preventing reattachment, and retraining the muscles for optimal function. It not only enhances oral health but also addresses related problems like clenching, grinding, neck tension, and breathing issues.

The frenectomy provides freedom of movement, and therapy gives the tongue and surrounding muscles the skills they need to use that freedom effectively. Together, they set the foundation for better breathing, clearer speech, improved posture, and long-term health and well-being.