Review Summary
This review summarizes the current knowledge on motor cranial nerve reconstruction and regeneration following various injury patterns. It focuses on seven cranial nerves with predominantly motor functions, highlighting shared patterns of injuries and clinical manifestations. An overview of existing reconstructive approaches, from facial reanimation to laryngeal reinnervation to variations of interposition nerve grafts, is also presented. We then discuss ongoing endeavors to promote nerve regeneration and to suppress aberrant reinnervation and involuntary muscle contraction. Insights from this recent progress shed light on new horizons for understanding the biomechanics of peripheral nerve biology, with emphasis on promising strategies to optimize neural regeneration and identify future directions in the motor cranial nerve research field.