COMPARING BUCCAL FAT PAD AND NASOLABIAL FLAP APPROACHES FOR ORAL SUBMUCOUS FIBROSIS RECONSTRUCTION

Objective:This study evaluated and compared the effectiveness of the buccal fat pad and nasolabial flap techniques in surgically treating oral submucous fibrosis, with emphasis on improvements in mouth opening and oral commissure width after surgery. Materials and Methods:Twenty patients with clinically confirmed oral submucous fibrosis and a mouth opening less than 20 mm were included. They were divided equally into two groups: Group 1 (10 patients) received treatment with a nasolabial flap, while Group 2 (10 patients) was managed using the buccal fat pad. Measurements of incisal mouth opening and oral commissural width were taken before and after surgery. Data analysis was conducted using paired and unpaired t-tests, considering p-values ≤ 0.05 as statistically significant. Results:Both surgical interventions resulted in significant postoperative increases in mouth opening and commissural width. Notably, patients in the buccal fat pad group exhibited a more pronounced improvement in these parameters at the 6-month postoperative mark compared to those treated with the nasolabial flap. Conclusion:The nasolabial flap and buccal fat pad both serve as viable surgical methods for managing oral submucous fibrosis. The buccal fat pad demonstrated superior functional outcomes in terms of mouth opening and commissural width, although nasolabial flaps remain an effective treatment alternative. Keywords: Buccal fat pad, commissural width, mouth opening, nasolabial flap, Oral submucous fibrosis