If you are one of the 30 million Americans with sleep apnea, a condition that causes interrupted breathing during sleep, you may wonder about your treatment options. While the most common solution is a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine, it does not work for everyone. Alternatives like myofunctional therapy are available to strengthen the tongue and facial muscles so they rest correctly during sleep and don’t block your airway. At Rockland Dental Specialists in New City, NY, For millions of Americans, sleep apnea means waking up exhausted night after night, with a CPAP machine that feels more like an obstacle than a solution. If that sounds familiar, you are not alone — and you may have more options than you realize. Myofunctional therapy uses targeted tongue and facial muscle exercises to strengthen the tissues that support your airway, reducing the likelihood of obstruction during sleep. Research published through the National Institutes of Health found that this approach decreases sleep apnea severity by approximately 50% in adults, making it a meaningful, non-invasive path forward.
At Rockland Dental Specialists in New City, NY, our team offers myofunctional therapy and can help determine whether it is the right treatment for you. We evaluate tongue placement, resting muscle position, and your specific symptoms to build a personalized plan designed to improve your breathing and sleep quality. With over 24 years of combined experience in periodontics, implants, and endodontics, our team is committed to finding solutions that work for each patient.
How Sleep Apnea and Tongue Position Are Connected
If you have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, the mechanics behind it are worth understanding. When you fall asleep, the muscles in your throat and tongue naturally relax. For some people, the tongue falls back into the airway, partially or fully blocking airflow. This is what causes the characteristic pauses in breathing and the drop in oxygen levels that define obstructive sleep apnea.
The position and strength of your tongue during sleep plays a significant role in whether your airway stays open. When the tongue rests correctly against the roof of the mouth, it is less likely to collapse backward into the throat. Myofunctional therapy works by training the tongue and surrounding muscles to hold that position naturally, even during deep sleep. When creating your sleep apnea treatment plan, we carefully assess tongue placement, your symptoms, and how your mouth rests to build a program tailored to you.
Myofunctional Therapy at Rockland Dental Specialists
Sleep apnea can make it challenging to get a full night’s sleep and focus during the day. This condition may result from improper tongue placement and weakened facial muscles. With the help of our caring team at Rockland Dental Specialists, Dr. Shalom Mintz and the team at Rockland Dental Specialists bring over 24 years of combined experience to every patient evaluation. When you come to us with sleep apnea concerns, we do not start with assumptions — we take the time to assess your condition thoroughly, including tongue posture, symptom history, and how your airway functions at rest.
We offer complimentary insurance verifications and custom payment plans to make care accessible, and our office is designed to provide a calm, comfortable environment from the moment you walk in. If you are ready to explore whether myofunctional therapy may help you breathe better and sleep better, we invite you to contact our office to schedule a consultation. ’s right for you, call us at (845) 259-2500 or fill out our contact form.
