Myofunctional Therapy in the Era of Digital and Airway-Focused Dentistry

Dr. Sonali Badve¹, Dr. Deepthi Dandu^2, , Dr. Shubham Chopra³, Dr. Ayesha Aijaz⁴, Dr. Bhumika Patel⁵, Dr. Monica Milagros Parra Rodil⁶, Dr. Sandeep Singh⁷ and Dr. Ridhi Bhola⁷

¹BDS, Bharti Vidyapeeth Dental College, Pune, India

²BDS, Sharavathi Dental College and Hospital, Shimoga, India (Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences)

³BDS, Major in healthcare, ⁠Trinity Western University, Langley, BC, Canada

⁴BDS, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, V22W+F2H Rafiqui H.J., Iqbal Shaheed Rd, Karachi, Pakistan

⁵BDS, MPH, Faculty of Dental Science, Dharmsinh Desai University, College Road, Nadiad, Gujarat, India, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, Massachusetts, USA

⁶DMD, BS, Universidad Iberoamericana Av. Francia 129, Santo Domingo 10203, Dominican Republic and Florida International University 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199

⁷MDS, Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences, Rohtak, India

Cite this paper:
Dr. Sonali Badve, Dr. Deepthi Dandu, Dr. Shubham Chopra, Dr. Ayesha Aijaz, Dr. Bhumika Patel, Dr. Monica Milagros Parra Rodil, Dr. Sandeep Singh and Dr. Ridhi Bhola. Myofunctional Therapy in the Era of Digital and Airway-Focused Dentistry. American Journal of Medical Case Reports. 2026; 14(1):10-17. doi: 10.12691/ajmcr-14-1-3

Abstract

Myofunctional therapy (MFT) has gained increasing importance in modern dentistry as a non-invasive approach to correcting orofacial muscle dysfunctions that influence breathing, occlusion, facial growth, and overall oral function. With the shift toward airway-focused dental care, the role of MFT has expanded, supporting interventions for mouth breathing, sleep-disordered breathing, malocclusions, and craniofacial development. Parallel to this clinical evolution, digital dentistry has transformed the way practitioners diagnose, monitor, and deliver MFT. Advanced tools such as cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) for airway evaluation, intraoral scanners (IOS) for assessing oral volume and arch form, artificial intelligence (AI) for automated posture and movement analysis, and tele-myofunctional therapy (tele-MFT) platforms for remote patient engagement have enhanced the precision and accessibility of therapy. However, despite the growing clinical adoption of MFT and digital diagnostic tools, the existing literature remains fragmented, with limited integration of airway-focused principles, digital technologies, and myofunctional therapy into a unified clinical framework. There is a lack of consolidated evidence outlining how digital innovations can objectively enhance assessment, monitoring, and outcomes of MFT in contemporary dental practice. This review addresses this gap by synthesizing current evidence on the role of MFT within digital and airway-centered dentistry, highlighting emerging technologies, clinical applications, limitations of existing evidence, and future directions for standardized, technology-enabled myofunctional care.

Keywords:
Myofunctional therapy digital dentistry Airway-focused dentistry Tele-myofunctional therapy

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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