Effect of Myofascial Induction Therapy in Patients of Oral Submucous Fibrosis on Maximal Interincisal Distance Among Young Adult Tobacco Chewers: An Experimental Study

Background: Oral Submucous Fibrosis (OSMF) is a chronic, potentially malignant condition that is common in South Asia and is characterized by progressive submucosal fibrosis and very limited mouth opening. What is yet to be explored in this population is the use of Myofascial Induction therapy (MIT), a manual physiotherapy technique aimed at fascial systems Methods: An experimental pre-post study was done on 30 males (20–39 years old) with Stage A or B OSMF and >3-year history of tobacco use. They undertook three sessions of transverse sliding MIT in one week. The Maximal Interincisal Distance (MID) was assessed at baseline and after each session using a manual Vernier caliper. Results: The mean MID improved significantly from a baseline of 24.4 ± 4.55mm to 28.3 ± 4.40 mm (p < 0.0013). The gains were always consistent across sessions, with Stage B participants having a higher mean improvement (4.67mm) compared to those with Stage A (3.71mm), where more fibrotic bands were treated. Conclusion: Myofascial Induction Therapy is an effective non-invasive intervention for increased mouth opening in early-to-moderate OSMF. The results point to the fact that mechanotransduction of the fascial system facilitates extracellular matrix reorganization and improves functional mobility.