Functional rehabilitation in orthodontics: why start early?
The goal of early functional rehabilitation in orthodontics is to offer the child a balanced smile and healthy breathing from the youngest age.
What is functional rehabilitation in orthodontics?
Orofacial functional therapy helps the child use the muscles of the face, tongue, and mouth correctly.
It works on essential functions such as:
- breathing,
- swallowing,
- chewing,
- tongue and lip posture,
- and body posture.
These functions directly influence the growth of the jaws and the position of the teeth.
Why intervene early in childhood?
In children, everything is still developing: bones, muscles, and reflexes.
It is therefore the ideal moment to correct bad habits (mouth breathing, low tongue posture, sucking, etc.) and promote harmonious growth.
Early intervention makes it possible to:
- guide the growth of the jaws,
- avoid certain dental misalignments,
- reduce the duration or complexity of future orthodontic treatment.
What are the benefits of early rehabilitation?
- Better breathing: the child learns to breathe through the nose, which improves sleep, concentration, and overall health.
- Correct tongue and lip posture: promotes natural alignment of the teeth.
- Balanced facial growth: the jaws develop in the right direction.
- More stable orthodontic results: treatment results last longer over time.
Role of the functional rehabilitation appliance
The Myosimple appliance acts as a physical and sensory support to amplify the effect of the rehabilitation.
It facilitates neuromuscular awareness, provides gentle and continuous guidance, and strengthens the effects of the exercises performed with the speech therapist or orofacial physiotherapist.
It also helps to improve the position of the teeth and the relationship between the upper and lower dental arches.
A team dedicated to the child’s development
Functional rehabilitation is teamwork between:
- the orthodontist, who will show you how to use the rehabilitation appliance,
- the speech therapist or orofacial physiotherapist,
- and sometimes the ENT specialist or allergist,
and of course, the parents, who support the exercises at home!
Starting early means giving the child the best chance of having a balanced smile, healthy breathing, and harmonious growth.Functional rehabilitation is not only a complement to orthodontic treatment: it is its essential foundation.