The facial reanimation surgery for the patients of facial nerve palsy has been a complex and challenging problem in the field of reconstructive surgery. Various surgical techniques, including nerve grafting, nerve transfers, crossover techniques, and muscle transfers, have been used for dynamic reconstruction in all over the face from forehead, eyelids to lower lips. The smile has been considered as the most important part of reanimation and many efforts have been made for its restoration. In spite of the advantages of each procedure, free functional muscle transfer has been considered as a mainstay for optimal smile reconstruction in established facial paralysis. Traditionally, two-stage reconstruction using cross facial nerve graft followed by free muscle transfer were dominantly chosen, however, by obtaining long motor nerve with the muscle or use of donor nerve in ipsilateral face, single-stage functioning muscle transfer has gaining more acceptance nowadays. Compared to staged reconstruction using cross-facial nerve grafting, one-stage techniques provide faster reanimation results and can avoid donor site morbidity developed by harvest of long sural nerve grafts. Since the introduction of single-staged latissimus dorsi muscle transfer in facial paralysis by W. Wang in 1989, this technique has been effectively applied in facial reanimation cases. Latissimus dorsi muscle provides very long nerve up to 16 to 18cm in length and its donor site is very versatile in designing muscle segment and flaps for simultaneous soft tissue reconstruction. With gaining experience, this technique has been evolved and refined to obtain better facial reanimation outcome. Minimal invasive approach allowed reduced amount of resulting scar and techniques for thoracodorsal artery perforator flap have been applied for efficient harvest of muscle and concomitant correction of contour deformity. The technique of dual innervations by contralateral facial nerve and motor branch of ipsilateral trigeminal nerve to masseter muscle can be also considered for augmenting axonal input and reducing the atrophy of transplanted muscles. Although secondary correction to improve the appearance is frequently required, the method using latissimus dorsi muscle is a reliable option in smile restoration of established facial paralysis. Conclusively, appropriate patient selection, thorough preoperative planning and meticulous execution of surgery are essential for obtaining reliable results in facial reanimation. Also, long-term follow-up is needed and diligent secondary correction and other ancillary procedures in other regions should be accompanied to improve facial disfigurement synthetically.