European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Background: OSMF is a chronic debilitating but preventable and curable oral disease with potential of malignant transformation. It affects oral, oropharyngeal, and sometimes the oesophageal mucosa. The treatment of OSMF varies according to the stages and early detection is the key for appropriate management and prevention of progression of disease.
Aim: Comparative evaluation of cheek flexibility using cheek retractor method and mouth blowing method and its correlation with Pindborg’s grading system for oral submucous fibrosis patient.
Material and method:The study included 118 patients who had been diagnosed with OSMF attending to the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology. Patient who had diagnose with grade 4 OSMF are left out from the study. A detailed history and examination of the patients was performed with special emphasis on measuring cheek flexibility and mouth blowing method. Statistical analysis was done using Chi-square test and p<0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.
Results: Values obtained by cheek retraction and blowing method are not in association with Pindborg et al grading system.
Conclusion: It is essential to diagnose and treat OSMF as per the stage of the disease. None of the methods fulfills all the criteria necessitating the need to further do the research in this direction.
Clinical significance: This method can be used under resource constraint setting to grade OSMF.