Oral habits can relate to breathing, muscle tone, sensory needs or development. Many are common; a persistent pattern may be worth discussing in the context of the whole child.
Resting or sleeping with an open mouth may affect how the face, jaws and airway develop. Mouth breathing may often lead to low tongue posture, weak lip muscles and inefficient breathing patterns.
These signs can be subtle and are often mistaken for normal developmental phases.
Oral habits rarely appear without a reason. Common contributing factors include:
The body adapts to maintain comfort and airflow, even if those adaptations are not ideal for growth.
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT) is a specialised therapy that focuses on the muscles of the face, mouth, tongue, and airway. These muscles play a vital role in how a child breathes, sleeps, eats, speaks, and grows.
OMT uses exercises intended to improve awareness, coordination and function of oral and facial muscles. Whether it is appropriate depends on the child and the reason for the pattern.
A child's face, mouth and airway are still developing. Families may seek advice when they notice:
At Dr Levi's, we look at the connection between how jaw development influences airway development. When a child's dental arches and jaw are underdeveloped, it may impact the way they breathe, particularly during sleep. Addressing that growth and development early may help alleviate symptoms now and in the future.
We utilise a system of biomimetic oral appliances and therapies — tools designed to work with the body's natural growth processes to support the development of the jaw and dental arches. Every child is different, and we take the time to understand your child's individual situation before recommending any course of care.
The Vivos System combines prescribed oral appliances with a multidisciplinary care protocol. Dr Levi considers this approach only after an individual assessment and discussion of suitability, alternatives, limitations and risks.
An appliance may be used to support dental-arch and jaw development in selected patients. Effects on breathing, sleep and symptoms vary, and no outcome is guaranteed.
Our team are passionate about improving the quality of your child's breathing and sleep to maximise emotional, physical and mental growth and development.
Craniofacial Dental Care & Epigenetics
Clinic Manager
Clinical Administrator
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist
Junior Clinical Administrator
No referral needed. Your child doesn't need to be present for this call. The consultation is an introductory call and does not constitute clinical advice.
Book a Free Parent Call63 Oxford St. (cnr Pelican St.), Darlinghurst, Sydney (02) 9283 1900
