Comparison of therapeutic response of lycopene and curcumin in oral submucous fibrosis: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate and compare the therapeutic response of lycopene and curcumin with placebo in patients suffering from oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) and to correlate the habit variables of smoked and smokeless tobacco products in OSMF. METHODS: A randomized placebo-controlled parallel clinical study was conducted on ninety OSMF patients, who were divided into three treatment groups using computer-generated randomization. Group A patients (n = 30) were given curcumin tablet (300 mg) twice daily, Group B patients (n = 30) received lycopene capsules (8 mg) twice daily, and for Group C (n = 30), placebo capsules were given once daily for a period of six months. Both the participant and outcome assessor were blinded. Pre- and post-treatment comparison of mouth opening, burning sensation, tongue protrusion, and cheek flexibility was analyzed at periodic follow-up of 9 months. RESULTS: The overall improvement in mouth opening, burning sensation, tongue protrusion, and cheek flexibility was 3.9 ± 4.9 mm, 4.8 ± 2.6, 5.0 ± 7.2 mm, & 0.36 ± 0.71 mm, respectively, for curcumin and 4.1 ± 4.2 mm, 5.0 ± 2.3, 2.4 ± 3.5 mm, & 0.66 ± 0.80 mm, respectively, for lycopene with the p value <0.05. CONCLUSION: Statistically significant improvement in clinical findings was observed in both curcumin and lycopene treatment groups in comparison with placebo. However, the therapeutic efficacy of curcumin and lycopene was found to be almost equal in OSMF patients.

Fibrotomy with diode laser (980 nm) and habit correlation in oral submucous fibrosis: a report of 30 cases.

To evaluate the efficacy of laser fibrotomy in patients with oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) and also to correlate the habit variables causing OSMF. Thirty patients diagnosed clinically and histopathologically with OSMF were included in the study. Laser fibrotomy was done under local anesthesia using Zolar diode laser (980 nm frequency) at 2-W power in contact mode with fibro-optic cutting tip. The patients were advised to practice mouth-opening exercises rigorously, and topical corticosteroid was given for burning sensation and pain for 6 months. Pre- and post-treatment comparison of mouth opening, burning sensation, tongue protrusion, and cheek flexibility was analyzed after a follow-up period of 9 months. After a follow-up period of 9 months from the surgical intervention, the mean value of difference in pre- and post-treatment of VAS score, mouth opening, and tongue protrusion was found to be 3.3 ± 2.1, 7.7 ± 5.1, 1.6 ± 2.7, and 0.38 ± 0.61 respectively. Using the Wilcoxon signed rank test, all the above difference in mean was found to be significant with p value < 0.05. With above suggested significant results, lasers can provide an alternative and better means for surgical fibrotomy, relieving trismus in moderate OSMF as they are minimally invasive, cause less hemorrhage, and have faster healing and minimal surgical site scaring and relapse.

A Rare Report of Two Cases: Ancient Schwannoma of Infratemporal Fossa and Verocay Schwannoma of Buccal Mucosa.

Schwannoma is a benign tumor that originates from Schwann cells of the peripheral nerve. Occurring as a common tumor in the head and neck region, its intraoral presentation is rare which accounts for only 1%. They are solitary, slow-growing, smooth-surfaced, usually asymptomatic, and encapsulated tumor. This paper comprises two case reports, both of which presented with an intraoral soft tissue swelling which turned out to be schwannoma of buccal mucosa and infratemporal fossa with extension into the oral cavity, respectively. The treatment was done with complete surgical excision. Soft tissue tumors of the oral cavity can present with similar clinical feature, which can make it difficult to distinguish one lesion from the other. Thus, final diagnosis for such lesions can only be rendered based on complete analysis of clinical, radiological, surgical, and histopathological findings.