Myofunctional Therapy: Training the Airway Muscles in Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
What myofunctional therapy is
Myofunctional therapy is a structured programme of daily exercises for the tongue, soft palate, lips and pharyngeal muscles. Patients typically practise for around 20 to 30 minutes each day over two to three months, supported by review appointments. The aim is to improve the strength, endurance and coordination of the muscles that hold the upper airway open during sleep, and to encourage nasal breathing and resting tongue posture.
Why muscle function matters in sleep apnoea
Muscle tone falls throughout the body during sleep. In obstructive sleep apnoea, the soft tissues of the throat narrow or collapse, interrupting breathing and fragmenting sleep. Reduced pharyngeal muscle tone, low tongue posture and habitual mouth breathing all contribute to this. Exercise-based therapy addresses that muscular component directly, which is why it has been investigated as an addition to established treatments rather than a substitute for them.
What the research shows
A randomised trial in adults with moderate obstructive sleep apnoea found that three months of daily oropharyngeal exercises reduced snoring, daytime sleepiness and apnoea–hypopnoea index compared with sham therapy. Pooled analyses have since reported an average halving of the apnoea–hypopnoea index in adults, with improvements in lowest recorded oxygen saturation.
Balanced against this, a Cochrane review concluded that myofunctional therapy probably reduces daytime sleepiness and may improve sleep quality in the short term, but rated the overall certainty of evidence as moderate to very low because trials have been small and short. The honest position is encouraging but not conclusive.
How we use it at Whitland Dental Co
Myofunctional therapy is offered as an adjunct, never a replacement for a diagnosis. Any suspected obstructive sleep apnoea requires a sleep study and medical assessment first. Where appropriate, therapy can then sit alongside CPAP, a mandibular advancement device, or weight and positional management.
Contact the practice to arrange an airway assessment.
References
Camacho, M., Certal, V., Abdullatif, J., Zaghi, S., Ruoff, C. M., Capasso, R., & Kushida, C. A. (2015). Myofunctional therapy to treat obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep, 38(5), 669–675. https://doi.org/10.5665/sleep.4652
Guimarães, K. C., Drager, L. F., Genta, P. R., Marcondes, B. F., & Lorenzi-Filho, G. (2009). Effects of oropharyngeal exercises on patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 179(10), 962–966. https://doi.org/10.1164/rccm.200806-981OC
Rueda, J.-R., Mugueta-Aguinaga, I., Vilaró, J., & Rueda-Etxebarria, M. (2020). Myofunctional therapy (oropharyngeal exercises) for obstructive sleep apnoea. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020(11), Article CD013449. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD013449.pub2
Saba, E. S., Kim, H., Huynh, P., & Jiang, N. (2024). Orofacial myofunctional therapy for obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Laryngoscope, 134(1), 480–495. https://doi.org/10.1002/lary.30974
