A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF EFFICACY OF THERAPEUTIC ULTRASOUND THERAPY AND INTRALESIONAL INJECTION IN PATIENTS WITH ORAL SUBMUCOUS FIBROSIS - A CLINICAL TRIAL STUDY

Abstract

Context: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a chronic, progressive condition characterized by fibrotic changes of the oral mucosa, resulting in restricted mouth opening and impaired oral function. Intralesional steroid–hyaluronidase injections are commonly used but are often associated with pain, repeated visits, and variable outcomes. Hence, alternative treatment modalities warrant evaluation. Aims: To compare the effectiveness and patient tolerance of intralesional injection therapy and therapeutic ultrasound in the management of OSMF. Methods and Material: Patients were divided into two groups (n = 15 each). Group A received intralesional dexamethasone (4 mg/ml) with hyaluronidase (1500 IU), while Group B received therapeutic ultrasound. Both treatments were administered twice weekly for four weeks along with oral physiotherapy. Pain, mouth opening, comfort, and patient satisfaction were assessed. Intergroup comparisons were carried out using the independent t-test. Results: Therapeutic ultrasound showed significantly greater pain reduction from the second week onward (p ≤ 0.01). Patient satisfaction was higher in the ultrasound group, while comfort scores and mouth opening improvement were comparable between groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Therapeutic ultrasound is a safe, effective, and better-tolerated alternative to intralesional injections, offering superior pain relief and improved patient acceptance in OSMF management.Keywords: Triticum aestivum L.; terminal heat stress; grain yield; stress tolerance index; principal component analysis. (remove this)