Application of Botulinum Toxin in Facial Paralysis

Abstract

Botulinum toxin (BT) considered a potent substance with high potential in several treatments, has also been gaining space in dental clinics for the treatment of various pathologies, is safe when used in appropriate doses and contraindications are respected. Before starting BT therapy, it is necessary to communicate the patient about all the potentialities and limitations of treatment. The toxin has become an efficient option for the treatment of facial paralysis (FP), a pathology that causes contraction in the facial muscles, causing temporomandibular dysfunction, damage to the process of eating food and liquids, as well as aesthetic constraints, compromising the patient's quality of life. The objective was to present the application of BT as a therapeutic option in FP. This is a review with qualitative data researched in PubMed, VHL, SciELO and LILACS. Seventy-two studies were found, excluding 27 that were outside the inclusion criteria, and 45 studies were selected. It was found that the first step to its use is to analyze the patient, evaluating the facial resuscitation procedure, defining the possibility of reversal or considerable improvement. Subsequently, it is essential to determine the cause of paralysis, its duration and the functional deficits that the patient presents, after establishing the cause, its indication is evaluated. It is essential that an individualized evaluation is always performed, proposing a realistic therapy, and making the patient aware that it is a temporary treatment. The medical literature also shows a positive effect for the use of BT in the treatment of FP, improving the quality of life, especially the patient's self-esteem.