Optimizing the Synergistic Role of Diode Laser and Drug Therapies in the Management of Oral Submucous Fibrosis: A Case Report

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) Vol. 16; no. 9; p. e70028
• Main Authors: Varma, Siddhartha, Karambelkar, Mugdha V, Suragimath, Girish, Yavagal, Chandrashekar, Mangalekar, Sachin B, Zope, Sameer A, Gangavati, Rashmi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Cureus 23.09.2024
• Subjects: Dentistry; Oral Medicine; Pain Management; osmf; pbm; diode laser therapy; smokeless tobacco(st); areca nut
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.70028

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is one of the most common precancerous conditions of the oral mucosa involving any part of the oral cavity resulting in tissue scarring, dysphagia, and trismus. Habits of chewing areca nut, tobacco, and pan masala and smoking have revealed a strong association with the occurrence of OSMF. Due to its high morbidity and high malignant transformation rate (MTR), continuous efforts have been made to develop effective treatment options. Based on the stage of the disease, various treatment modalities such as medical and surgical therapies are available, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Photobiomodulation (PBM) is an emerging minimally invasive therapy that can be utilized to treat OSMF through its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. With the advent of dual-wavelength diode lasers, the current case report focuses on a novel treatment strategy for managing OSMF in combination with pharmacological and oral physiotherapy to achieve optimal results.