Biofunctional Therapy

Since birth the mouth is physicly modeled by the vital funtions (breathimg, suction-swallowing, chewing) which build the core of orofacial/oropharyngeal dynamics.

BREATHING: a vital act

Although human beings are meant to breathe naturally through the nose, a large percentage of the population breathes through the mouth — whether occasionally during the day, or simply by sleeping with the mouth open or snoring at night. Even more concerning are the possible consequences and conditions associated with this habit:

Reduced quality and quantity of saliva (upon waking or throughout the day): gum inflammation and recession, increased tartar and/or cavities.
Recurring ENT issues: allergies, sinusitis, rhinitis, ear problems, tonsils, adenoids, etc.
Respiratory disorders: persistent dry cough, bronchitis, asthma, etc.
Sleep disturbances: restless or shallow sleep, night sweats, waking up tired, dark circles under eyes, sleep apnea, etc. Poor nighttime breathing greatly impacts behavior, cognitive performance, and daily energy levels.
Low brain oxygenation: lack of focus, reduced academic or professional performance, hyperactivity or chronic fatigue, headaches, distractibility, nervousness, agitation, daytime sleepiness, irritability, and hormonal or growth disturbances. Mouth breathing is also very common among people with excess weight and slow metabolism.
Underdeveloped jaws (leading to possible dental crowding) and craniofacial disharmonies.
Postural adaptations: the neck tilts forward to straighten the airway path.

Though it may seem like a trivial act, we believe it is essential to emphasise it — especially because mouth breathing has been “normalised” and minimised. Rehabilitating nasal and airway function provides rebalancing of jaw position, bringing enormous benefits to posture, sleep apnea, and snoring, with significant improvements in sleep quality.

CHEWING: a fundamental function

The muscles involved in chewing form a long chain of interconnected muscles, which directly influence the posture of the spine. When malocclusion occurs (teeth not fitting together properly), micro-spasms can arise, creating injuries along these muscle chains and affecting other parts of the body at a distance.

Dental imbalance is closely linked to jaw tension and overload, giving rise to symptoms such as neck pain, stiffness, torticollis, trapezius and back tension, jaw pain, headaches or migraines, vertigo, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction.

Functional Balance Therapy promotes TMJ equilibrium, harmonization of tooth alignment and facial proportions, relaxation of orofacial muscles, and a significant reduction in pain-related symptoms.

SWALLOWING: a subtle but powerful function

The tongue is considered the strongest muscle group in the human body relative to its size. Poor positioning of the tongue, whether at rest or during swallowing, causes bite imbalance, misalignment of teeth, and sometimes even speech difficulties.

Functional appliances are designed to guide the tongue correctly, stimulating the palatal nervous spot — a key regulator of numerous metabolic, hormonal, and neurological processes.

An integrative approach

These vital physiological functions, essential to the body’s proper operation, occur unconsciously under the control of the nervous system.

It follows that dysfunctions in these functions — or their correction — affect every level: physical, organic, psychological, and emotional. Neurovegetative functions depend on the brain and are directly linked to mood, and therefore to our thoughts and emotions.

The rehabilitation and reeducation according to neurofunctional therapy, stimulates new peripheral neural pathways, initiating a new physiological process that is both functional and restorative.

This is a personal journey in which conscious practice, discipline and consistency allow new patterns of breathing, chewing, swallowing and posture to be gradually integrated. For this reason, it is essential that the patient becomes aware of their own functions and actively participates in the process.

The patient thus becomes an active part of their own process of transformation and rebalancing, learning to listen to their body and to voluntarily and independently modify what needs to be readjusted.