Myofunctional & TMJ Therapy
in Centennial, CO
Our myofunctional therapy treatments help patients develop better oral function for easier breathing, clear speech, and thriving overall health.
Your Health Is In Great Hands
85%
Noticed improved breathing after 3 months of treatment
83%
Experienced more speech clarity through targeted exercises
78%
Reduced mouth breathing habits after myofunctional therapy
What is Myofunctional Therapy?
Myofunctional therapy focuses on correcting tongue positions and breathing patterns that can affect facial development and airway health. By teaching proper tongue placement, swallowing patterns, and breathing techniques, we help guide facial growth and development in children while improving airway function. This therapy can be crucial in preventing or addressing issues like mouth breathing, sleep-disordered breathing, and speech difficulties.
Benefits of
Myofunctional Therapy
Easier Breathing
Consistent myofunctional therapy can lead to improved sleep quality, increased energy levels, and better overall health.
Improves Oral Development
Proper tongue positioning and function guide facial growth and development in children. These improvements can prevent the need for extensive orthodontic treatment later.
Better Speech and Swallowing
By strengthening oral muscles and establishing correct tongue placement, myofunctional therapy can improve speech clarity and swallowing patterns. This leads to better eating habits, clearer speech, and reduced risk of dental issues.
TMJ & Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy Specialist
Jessica Cordell, LMT
Jessica Cordell is a licensed massage therapist with specialized training in TMJ and intraoral therapy, scar tissue management, neuromuscular therapy, and Buteyko breathing principles. A former dental assistant, she bridges the gap between dental procedures and functional recovery — supporting patients before and after tongue tie releases and jaw surgery, and addressing the root causes of jaw pain, orofacial myofunctional dysfunction, and airway-related tension.
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy
Gentle, exercise-based retraining for the tongue, lips, and facial muscles. Jessica helps you build the resting posture, swallowing patterns, and nasal breathing habits that support a healthy airway, clear speech, and comfortable jaw function.
TMJ & Intraoral Therapy
Hands-on treatment for jaw pain, clenching, and tension that radiates into the face, head, and neck. Jessica works both outside and inside the mouth, using intraoral massage, trigger point therapy, and neuromuscular techniques to release the muscles that keep the joint under strain.
Pre & Post Tongue-Tie Release Support
Preparation and recovery care around tongue-tie releases and jaw surgery. Drawing on her background as a dental assistant, Jessica readies the tissue before a release and supports healing afterward, with scar tissue management to reduce restriction and help you keep the mobility the procedure creates.
Neuromuscular, Myofunctional & TMJ Therapy
Jessica’s myofunctional therapy services take a whole-body approach to improving the function of the tongue, jaw, airway, facial muscles, breathing patterns, posture, and surrounding musculature. Care is individualized based on each patient’s symptoms and goals and may also complement dental, airway, orthodontic, and tongue-tie treatment.
Myofunctional Therapy
Myofunctional (Neuromuscular) therapy addresses the muscle patterns and compensations that can affect how you breathe, swallow, chew, speak, and rest your tongue and jaw. Therapy may address:
- Tongue mobility and oral resting posture
- Breathing patterns and airway function
- Jaw function and muscle tension
- Clenching and grinding patterns
- Facial and oral muscle coordination
- Posture and compensation patterns
- Nervous system regulation
- Preparation and rehabilitation for tongue-tie release
Treatment focuses on improving awareness, mobility, coordination, stability, and function while helping the body establish healthier, more sustainable movement patterns.
TMJ Massage Therapy
TMJ massage therapy provides targeted, hands-on treatment for patients experiencing jaw pain, facial tension, headaches, clenching, grinding, neck tension, and other symptoms related to the temporomandibular joint and surrounding musculature.
Depending on the patient’s needs, treatment may incorporate:
- TMJ and intraoral massage
- Trigger point therapy
- Facial, scalp, and buccal massage
- Neck and upper-back massage
- Craniosacral techniques
- Lymphatic drainage
- Muscle and fascial release
- Mobility techniques
- Breathwork and nervous system regulation
Rather than focusing only on the area of discomfort, treatment considers the interconnected relationship between the jaw, head, neck, airway, posture, and nervous system.
Pre- & Post-Tongue-Tie Release Therapy
Specialized pre- and post-operative therapy is available for patients undergoing a tongue-tie release (lingual frenectomy).
Before a release, treatment helps prepare the tongue, jaw, surrounding tissues, and body for the change in mobility. This may include intraoral massage, TMJ and muscle release, fascial work, breathwork, mobility exercises, and nervous system regulation.
Following a release, therapy supports healing, tissue mobility, scar tissue management, muscle coordination, nervous system regulation, and neuromuscular re-education as the body adapts to its new range of motion.
Because tongue restrictions can contribute to compensation patterns throughout the jaw, neck, airway, posture, and surrounding fascial system, therapy looks beyond the surgical site to support long-term function and integration.
Signs You or Your Child May Need Myofunctional Therapy
category
Adults
Children
Daytime Symptoms
Adults
- Chronic fatigue/sleepiness
- Brain fog, poor focus, memory issues
- Morning headaches
- Mood changes (irritability, anxiety, depression)
- Frequent napping/dozing off
Children
- Hyperactivity or trouble focusing (often mistaken for ADHD
- Irritability or mood swings
- Learning difficulties
- Mouth breathing during the day
- Needing naps past toddler years
nighttime Symptoms
Adults
- Snoring, gasping, choking
- Dry mouth or sore throat (mouth breathing)
- Night sweats
- Restless or fragmented sleep
- Frequent nighttime urination
- Insomnia or trouble staying asleep
Children
- Snoring, gasping, pauses in breathing
- Bedwetting beyond normal age
- Night terrors or sleepwalking
- Restless sleep (tossing/turning)
- Frequent awakenings
Oral & Structural Clues
Adults
- Scalloped or enlarged tongue
- Grinding/clenching teeth (bruxism)
- High-arched or narrow palate
- Mouth breathing (day or night)
Children
- Thumb-sucking or pacifier use history
- Open-mouth posture or tongue thrust
- Crooked teeth or underdeveloped jaw
- Dark circles under eyes (“allergic shiners”)
- Forward head posture
Related Health Issues
Adults
- High blood pressure
- Acid reflux
- Atrial fibrillation
- Diabetes
- Allergies
Children
- Allergies/asthma
- Chronic ear infections
- Frequent illness
- Poor growth or delayed development
Gut Health Connection
Adults
- Bloating, constipation/diarrhea, reflux
- Food intolerances
- Frequent illness
- Skin issues (acne, eczema)
- Fatigue despite sleep
Children
- Digestive issues (constipation, diarrhea, reflux)
- Food sensitivities
- Frequent illness
- Skin rashes or eczema
- Low energy/poor appetite
The Treatment
Process
Comprehensive Initial Assessment
Your first visit begins with an in-depth review of your health history, symptoms, and goals. We look beyond the area of discomfort to identify what may be contributing to jaw pain, muscle tension, headaches, clenching or grinding, breathing patterns, and posture. For patients preparing for or recovering from a tongue-tie release, we also consider the timing of the procedure, current mobility, healing stage, and recommendations from your dental team.
Personalized Hands-On Treatment
Treatment is built around your needs rather than a set protocol. Depending on your symptoms and goals, a session may include TMJ and intraoral massage, trigger point therapy, neuromuscular work, scar tissue management, and breathing re-education based on Buteyko principles. For tongue-tie patients, techniques are adjusted to where you are in the healing process.
Individualized Treatment Plan
Based on your assessment and how you respond to treatment, we map out a personalized plan for ongoing care: session frequency, timing around a tongue-tie release when relevant, home exercises, and coordination with your dentist or other providers when appropriate.
Ongoing Care & Collaborative Support
Follow-up sessions build on your progress and adjust as your body responds. The goal is not temporary relief but addressing the underlying tension and compensation patterns so improvements hold. When helpful, care is coordinated with your dentist, physical therapist, chiropractor, or other members of your healthcare team.