Soft Palate Variation in Oral Submucous Fibrosis

Abstract

One among the most prevalent precancerous disorders affecting oral cavity in those who consume arecanut and gutka is oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF). The anatomy of the soft palate alters as this illness proceeds and can act as a marker for disease. OSMF prevalence varies by area and ethnicity, and is closely linked to behaviours, culture, and cuisine. People in South and Southeast Asia have the greatest frequency of OSMF.OSMF has afflicted 2.5 million individuals globally, with a total of five million in the Indian individuals.  The percentage of OSMF patients with dysplasia might range from 12 to 15 percent. Malignant changes occurs at a rate of 4–13 percent around world, but 7.6 percent in the Indian subcontinent. The anatomy of the soft palate in OSMF patients has been studied in a number of ways. Cephalometric analysis is highly used methods for measuring the soft palate in both healthy and OSMF patient. On lateral cephalometry, the soft palate shows a variety of radiographic appearances. Early cephalometry diagnosis of OSMF plays a vital role in treatment of disease. Soft palate becomes thick and heavy as OSMF advances, and considerable changes in soft palate dimensions occur, which may be better assessed by CBCT. This review work compared studies from several researchers, and observed that Type 1soft palate is the most prevalent, while type 6 soft palate is the least common.