Five-Year Experience with Fifth-to-Seventh Nerve Transfer for Smile

What Is This Study About?

This study reports five years of outcomes using masseteric nerve (fifth cranial nerve, used for chewing) to facial nerve transfer for smile restoration. The masseteric nerve has become a reliable workhorse for powering facial reanimation due to its consistent anatomy and strong signal.

Key Findings

• Five-year outcomes confirm reliability of masseteric-to-facial nerve transfer
• Patients achieved strong smile excursion with the masseteric nerve as the power source
• The technique has a steep learning curve but consistent outcomes once mastered

What This Means for Patients

Patients with facial paralysis within approximately two years of onset can benefit from this nerve transfer, which redirects the chewing nerve to power the smile muscles.