PURPOSE: to evaluate a proposed protocol of orofacial neuromuscular rehabilitation for peripheral facial paralysis. METHODS: clinical observation of 20 patients with fourth-degree paralysis, sent to orofacial rehabilitation in the Facial Paralysis Ambulatory from Hospital das Clínicas at UNICAMP: prospective longitudinal study. The verification of functional evolution or not, in the rehabilitation, was based on the improvement of muscular tonus, whose variation was measured by the modification in the labial commissure angle. The study was done with images from photographical documentation prior to (fifteen days after the installation of facial paralysis) and post one-year treatment. As proof of the effect concerning rehabilitation, the pre and post rehabilitation labial commissure angle was measured. The studied group was compared to a control group composed of nine subjects with fourth-degree orofacial paralysis, who did not undergo orofacial rehabilitation. The data were statistically analyzed by the two tail paired sample test (Student's T test). RESULTS: the average of labial commissure angle was 7.9º after treatment, with statistically significant difference (p<0.001). For the control group the average of the angular measurement was 100.9º + 1.9. This value did no differ from the values initially measured in the studied group (p=0.723). They were significantly higher when compared to the average of the values of the final angles of the studied group with treated patients (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: the rehabilitation protocol used in the sample promoted significantly increment of muscular tonus, with functional improvement and in the facial rest.
Facial Paralysis; Rehabilitation; Miofunctional Therapy; Muscle Tonus; Facial Expression
