BACKGROUND: Clinical rehabilitation of peripheral facial paralysis (PFP). AIM: To delineate the contributions of myofunctional exercises during the flaccid phase of the disorder, before any sequelae. METHOD: 147 promptuaries of patients with facial paralysis were analyzed and divided in two groups according to the period in which rehabilitation began. For the analysis of development, the classifications proposed by House and Brackmann (1985) and Ross et al. (1994) were used. RESULTS: According to the classification of House and Brackmann (1985), all of the individuals who had sequelae reached level III. However, it was observed that even in cases of severe nerve lesion, cases in which the sequelae were non-acceptable, patients who started treatment at an early stage, revealed a better functional result when evaluated according to the classification of Ross et al. (1994). CONCLUSION: The myofunctional approach demonstrated to be an effective method for the functional reestablishment in cases of facial paralysis.
BACKGROUND: Clinical rehabilitation of peripheral facial paralysis (PFP). AIM: To delineate the contributions of myofunctional exercises during the flaccid phase of the disorder, before any sequelae. METHOD: 147 promptuaries of patients with facial paralysis were analyzed and divided in two groups according to the period in which rehabilitation began. For the analysis of development, the classifications proposed by House and Brackmann (1985) and Ross et al. (1994) were used. RESULTS: According to the classification of House and Brackmann (1985), all of the individuals who had sequelae reached level III. However, it was observed that even in cases of severe nerve lesion, cases in which the sequelae were non-acceptable, patients who started treatment at an early stage, revealed a better functional result when evaluated according to the classification of Ross et al. (1994). CONCLUSION: The myofunctional approach demonstrated to be an effective method for the functional reestablishment in cases of facial paralysis.