Advances in Facial Reanimation

Facial paralysis is an exceedingly complex and devastating condition that is chal-lenging to manage. Owing to severe emotional consequences and social isolation, pa-tients' quality of life is significantly impacted. Functional, esthetic, and emotive facial reanimation may require nerve transfer, muscle transposition, or free muscle transfer. Nonsurgical treatments serve as an adjunct to further address synkinesis, improve nasal obstruction, and tone to the paralyzed face. Surgical acumen and comfort with several techniques allows the choice of the most appropriate approach for the patient. Further exploration and standardization of objective measures to monitor re-covery and compare techniques is needed to define the optimal treatment plan. Given severe emotional and physical consequences of facial paralysis, there is also a need for clinical trials to assess the efficacy of psychological intervention. Promising novel approaches for free tissue transfers, artificial nerve grafts, and conduits in line with in-novations in biomedical tissue engineering are being further explored. New technolog-ical advancements will continue to advance and alter future practices in facial reanimation.

Automated summary

Facial paralysis is a complex and devastating condition that significantly impacts patients' quality of life. Surgical interventions and nonsurgical treatments are both important in reanimating the facial muscles and improving facial function. Further research, standardization of objective measures, and clinical trials are needed to determine the optimal treatment plan and assess the efficacy of psychological intervention. Ongoing exploration of novel approaches and technological advancements in tissue engineering will shape the future of facial reanimation.