RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the orofacial myofunctional characteristics, masticatory performance and facial thermal profile in individuals with Parkinson disease (PD) and spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA3), comparing with healthy control ones. METHOD: Seventy-two participants aged between 30 and 85 years were evaluated and divided into PD, SCA3 and control groups. The assessments included clinical evaluation using the Orofacial Myofunctional Evaluation with Scores protocol (orofacial structures, mastication, swallowing and breathing aspects), masticatory performance assessed with a colour-changeable chewing gum and infrared thermography. The Kruskal-Wallis, one-way ANOVA and Wilcoxon tests were applied. RESULTS: With the exception of face and tongue, a difference was seen in the cheek, maxillomandibular relationship, lips, mentalis muscle and palate appearance and posture between patients and healthy control participants. Orofacial mobility, swallowing and masticatory function also scored higher in the control group. The SCA3 and PD groups required more time to eat the test-food and showed greater facial temperature asymmetries than the control one (p < 0.05). Masticatory performance measured by chewing gum did not differ. CONCLUSION: Facial temperature asymmetries, swallowing and masticatory function scores and the time needed by the SCA3 and PD groups to eat the test-food were different from healthy participants, drawing attention to the impaired orofacial functions in patients with neurodegenerative disorders.