Buccinator – Compresses the cheeks against the teeth and lips, retracts the corners of the mouth laterally, and aids mastication by maintaining food between the teeth during chewing.
Orbicularis oculi – Facilitates eyelid closure, playing a critical role in blinking and protecting the eye.
Orbicularis oris – Responsible for closing and protruding the lips, compressing them against the teeth, and shaping the lips during speech articulation.
Occipitofrontalis – Draws the scalp anteriorly, elevates the eyebrows, and produces horizontal wrinkles on the forehead.
Platysma – Elevates and projects the lower lip, creating tension in the skin over the chin and neck area.
Mechanism of Muscle Weakness:
Bell’s palsy involves unilateral paresis or paralysis of the facial muscles, specifically those responsible for facial expressions. This condition arises from injury, inflammation, or dysfunction of the facial nerve (cranial nerve VII), leading to impaired motor signal transmission to the affected muscles. As a result, the individual experiences a loss of voluntary control over facial movements, particularly on the side innervated by the compromised nerve.
Other Symptoms:
Loss of the sense of taste on the front of the tongue., hypersensitivity to sound, drooling, headache, and tearing