Clinical Practice Guidelines For Management Of Oral Submucous Fibrosis

Oral sub mucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a chronic, progressive, debilitating, scarring and crippling disorder of the oral cavity. It is characterized by inflammation, increased deposition of sub mucosal collagen and formation of fibrotic bands in the oral tissues, which increasingly limitmouth opening. Many OSMF treatment protocols have been proposed to alleviate the signs and symptoms of the disorder and there is overwhelming evidence that as areca nut is primary cause, stopping its use may have a considerable effect on symptoms rather than reversing pre-existing fibrosis. Even though several treatment modalities have been recommended, only a few are evidence based and can be considered for the optimal management of oral sub mucous fibrosis. The objective of this study was to propose and review treatment protocol to be followed for the management of oral sub mucous fibrosis. We reviewed several evidence-based studies and through this review we recommend topical interventions as the first-line of treatment since they are associated with low risk of systemic side effects.