Welcome to Root Relief Myofunctional Therapy, LLC

Name: Root Relief Myofunctional Therapy LLC
Address: Henderson, MN, 56044-3401, US
Telephone: 507-766-7789

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy for patients ages 6 and up

Mini-Myo Program for patients ages 18 months - 5

In person and Virtual Appointments Available

Book an Appointment

Meet Brittney Abraham

RDH, Myofunctional Therapist

Brittney has been licensed as a Dental Hygienist since 2006 after graduating from Argosy University. Brittney has always enjoyed learning new things and in 2023, she became interested in Myofunctional therapy, where therapists assess and treat Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs), which can cause difficulties with breathing, swallowing, sleeping, chewing and speaking. She enrolled and graduated from the MyoMentor program. Brittney opened Root Relief Myofunctional Therapy, LLC in September of 2023 while still practicing hygiene Mondays-Thursdays and offering Myofunctional therapy on Fridays. She also has taken classes on breathing through MyoMentor with Patrick McKeown and on TMD through The Breathe Institute to be able to add that into her therapy. She is excited to help patients with their myofunctional symptoms and is passionate and dedicated about helping patients get to the root cause, achieving optimal oral and facial muscle function, leading to improved overall health and well-being. In her spare time, Brittney loves to spend time with her husband, Dave and three kids: Ashlyn, Logan & Olivia. They enjoy life on their farm and spending time at their family's cabin in northern MN.

Meet Amelia

Why Myofunctional Thrapy

What is Myofunctional Therapy?

Myofunctional therapy, also called Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT), is a specialized form of muscle therapy that focuses on retraining the muscles of the face, mouth, tongue and throat to improve proper oral function. It is similar to physical therapy for the muscles we use to breathe, chew, swallow, speak and maintain proper oral posture.

Myofunctional therapy works to establish five important habits:

1. Proper tongue posture: Teaching the tongue to rest naturally against the roof of the mouth.

2. Nasal breathing: Encouraging breathing through the nose rather that habitual mouth breathing.

3. Lip seal: Developing a comfortable, natural closed-lip resting posture.

4. Correct swallowing: Retraining the tongue to swallow without pushing against the teeth.

5. Muscle coordination: Improving the strength, awareness and coordination of the oral and facial muscles.

What are some possible symptoms of patients who have

Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders?

Sleep Disordered Breathing, including fatigue/poor sleep, constricted airway, snoring and sleep apnea
Mouth breathing
Tongue thrust, tongue-tie, low tongue posture
Headaches, neck/shoulder tension
TMJ/Facial pain
Bruxism/teeth grinding
Open bite/crossbite
Speech therapy/lisp
Digestive problems
Increased Gag Reflux
Difficulty nursing (infants)
Oral habits, including thumb sucking
Ear infections, allergies/asthma
ADHD, troubles in school

Why does it matter?

The way we breathe, where our tongue rests, how we swallow and how our lips come together are all important parts of healthy oral function.

These patterns can influence dental development, oral health, and airway function. Myofunctional therapy helps identify dysfunctional habits and works to establish healthier patterns.

It is important to understand that Myofunctional therapy isn't simply doing tongue exercises. It's about retraining everyday muscle patterns so that healthy function becomes natural and consistent.

The goal at Root Relief Myofunctional Therapy LLC is to look beyond the teeth and help patients understand the connection between oral function, breathing, airway health and overall wellness.

Who could benefit from Myofunctional therapy?

Myofunctional therapy is beneficial for both children and adults to help improve issues with breathing, swallowing, tongue-ties and mouth breathing.

Myofunctional therapy can also help with...

Speech and Language

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy can help improve speech and language by addressing OMDs that can cause articulation errors, phonological disorders, and other speech impairments.

Sleep Apnea and Snoring

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy can improve breathing and reduce symptoms of sleep apnea and snoring by strengthening the muscles of the mouth, tongue and throat.

Chewing and Swallowing

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy can help improve chewing and swallowing by addressing OMDs that can cause difficulty with these functions.

Dental and Facial Development

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy can promote proper dental and facial development by correcting OMDs that can cause malocclusion and other orthodontic problems, especially if treated early in children.

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD)

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy can help alleviate symptoms of TMD by correcting OMDs that can cause jaw pain, clicking, and popping.

Head and Neck Pain

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy can help reduce head and neck pain by correcting OMDs that can cause tension and muscle imbalances.

What does Myofunctional Therapy look like?

Myofunctional therapy will look different based on the age of the patient. Each therapy program is customized for each patient as each person will have different structures, symptoms and muscle compensation patterns.

For those 18 months - 5 years old, we recommend setting up a free 15-minute phone or virtual consultation. We discuss your concerns and how the Mini-Myo program may benefit your child or if a referral to a Speech and Language Pathologist with myofunctional training for Oral Motor Feeding Therapy would be the best option. The Mini-Myo Program, which consists of 6 one-hour in person sessions meeting monthly, gently guides your child toward proper breathing, tongue posture, swallowing patterns and facial muscle function - all through play-based, age-appropriate activities. In children, the goal is to help prevent negative habits from causing further problems down the road. Waiting doesn't make symptoms go away - but early intervention can help guide healthy breathing, proper oral habits and facial development.

For those age 6 and older, a free 15-minute phone or virtual consultation is available as well. However, a comprehensive evaluation will need to be completed, prior to starting therapy. Myofunctional therapy sessions can be virtual or in person and usually last 30-45 minutes. They are scheduled once every two weeks, to start and will progressively increase in time between sessions as the program go on. A full Myofunctional therapy programs is 12-18 sessions usually lasting between 8 months- 1 year. Collaboration with your dentist, orthodontist and/or other health care professionals is extremely important when going through Myofunctional therapy. It makes therapy a simple and easy process and helps to support your overall wellness.