Functional Face

06/08/2026

Most parents think braces are just about straight teeth.

And while straight teeth are certainly important, they aren’t the whole story.

Almost every week, I see parents asking for orthodontic recommendations. The questions are usually:

“Who did you like?”
“Who has the best prices?”
“Who gave you a good experience?”

Those things definitely matter. But there are other things that deserve just as much attention, too.

Here are 5 things I wish every parent knew before starting braces:

1️⃣ Why the teeth became crowded matters.
Crowding is often a symptom, not the root cause.

2️⃣ Mouth breathing can influence facial growth.
How a child breathes can affect how the jaws and face develop over time.

3️⃣ The tongue plays an important role in jaw development.
The tongue isn’t just for eating and talking. It helps shape the developing jaws and supports healthy oral function.

4️⃣ Straight teeth don’t always mean healthy function.
A beautiful smile doesn’t automatically mean a child is breathing, chewing, swallowing, or sleeping well.

5️⃣ Braces don’t eliminate the need to address habits.
Mouth breathing, tongue thrust, thumb sucking, nail biting, and other habits can continue to affect the teeth and jaws long after treatment is complete.

Orthodontic treatment is a significant investment of time, money, and effort.

That’s one reason we're so passionate about helping families understand the role of breathing, oral habits, tongue function, and oral development.

Not because braces aren’t valuable—they absolutely can be.

But because we regularly meet people who had orthodontic treatment years ago and are still struggling with issues like mouth breathing, TMJ symptoms, poor tongue posture, snoring, sleep-disordered breathing, or orthodontic relapse.

Straight teeth are important.

But healthy function is important too.

The best outcomes happen when we look beyond the just teeth and consider the whole picture.

05/28/2026

04/30/2026

If your child has their tonsils and adenoids removed, they need myofunctional therapy too.

Functional Face. Personalized, effective orofacial myofunctional therapy program that addresses Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders, tongue and lip tie assessments and pre and post frenectomy care, negative oral habits such as thumb sucking and prolonged pacifier use. Pill swallowing classes.

02/10/2026

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PjOOFFCMvw8&fbclid=IwRlRTSAP4ABdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeyYrJn-xfhv98-euMBqzUWf5WSjyAwKlQVUEHvAt1oyP9jAkBn6cBayqPt0s_aem_YTce7Cly966aAA1UvkpwCw

Dr. Stacy welcomes pediatric dentist and airway-focused clinician Dr. Rafif Tayara to the ASAP Pathway Podcast for a global conversation on early interceptiv...

12/16/2025

We get asked these questions almost daily —
“What is myofunctional therapy? "
"Who is for?"
"Is it actually evidence-based?”

The short answer is yes — but not in the way most people think.

It’s often likened to physical therapy for the muscles of the mouth and airway, and the research is strongest in areas like breathing, sleep, orthodontic stability, and surgical outcomes.

I just published a detailed, evidence-informed breakdown answers our most commonly asked questions about myofunctional therapy.

If this has ever been confusing or unclear, it’ll help.

⬇️ I’ll drop the link in the comments below ⬇️

12/08/2025

Our recent BabyFace™ graduate 💚

Baby C came to us struggling with feeding efficiency (taking 30mins to finish 1.5oz) , endurance, gagging/choking, and mouth-open breathing during sleep—and had fallen off her growth curve after initially losing over 10% of her birth weight

Through functional evaluation, comprehensive collaborative care and oral function rehabilitation, her feeds became efficient, lower stress for mom and she returned to—and surpassed her growth curve.

We’re so grateful to this family for trusting us with her care and for allowing us to share her journey with permission.

BabyFace™ was created to support infants early—before feeding, airway, and developmental challenges become long-term struggles. Early function matters.

12/03/2025

Dry winter air doesn’t just make your skin feel tight — it can literally change the way you breathe.
When the air inside your home drops to that typical winter 20–30% humidity, your nose has to work twice as hard to warm and humidify it… and it simply can’t keep up.

That’s when people start noticing:
• more nasal dryness
• more “mystery congestion”
• thicker mucus
• waking up with a dry mouth
• and a slow slide into mouth breathing overnight

And once mouth breathing starts, sleep quality drops fast. Oxygen drops faster. And symptoms like snoring, restless sleep, nighttime anxiety, waking headaches, and fatigue all get worse.

The good news? This is one of the easiest root causes to fix.

Small changes can make a massive difference:
• keep your home humidity between 40–50%
• run a humidifier in your bedroom at night
• mist your nose with saline before bed
• keep your nasal passages healthy, open, and hydrated

Your nose wants to help you breathe better — it just needs the right environment. 😌
Better nasal breathing → better sleep → better days.

If you want help improving your breathing and sleep naturally (even if CPAP hasn’t helped the way you hoped), send us a message! We
love helping people uncover the root causes of their sleep and breathing struggles.

12/03/2025

New blog post is up!

Learn the early signs of mouth breathing and hidden airway problems in kids and adults. Discover symptoms that impact sleep, behavior, and facial development.

10/28/2025

Please help us congratulate Barbara, officially a Board-Certified Orofacial Myologist through the IAOM! 🎉🎓

Barbara has poured her heart into serving families at Functional Face, bringing compassion, skill, and a deep passion for helping people breathe, sleep, and thrive. She is a true advocate for airway-focused care, and we could not be more proud of her.

And here’s something special…
There are ONLY two IAOM Board Certified Orofacial Myologists in the entire Tri-State region —
and both of them are right here at Functional Face.

The International Association of Orofacial Myology (IAOM) is considered the gold standard in Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy requiring rigorous education, clinical mentorship, and a proctored board examination to ensure excellence in evaluation and therapy. Barbara’s achievement is a testament to her dedication and the high standards we hold for patient care.

Barbara, thank you for the excellence you bring to every individual you serve. We are incredibly lucky to have you on our team and this is only the beginning!

Drop a 🎉 in the comments to celebrate her today!

10/15/2025

Sleep isn’t just rest — it’s when your child’s brain and body repair, grow, and reset. But if their breathing is disrupted, everything from behavior, to learning, to facial and body growth can be affected. My latest post breaks down the subtle red flags parents often miss when it comes to Sleep Disordered Breathing. Read it now to know what’s normal — and what’s not.

take a minute to read - then share it with another parent who deserves to know this too. 💚 together, we can help more kids breathe sleep and grow better. I want I want the last line to say together we can have more kids breathe sleep and grow better.

Learn the hidden signs of sleep-disordered breathing in kids and why early airway support protects brain, heart, and healthy facial growth.