Treatment of mouth and jaw diseases with intralesional steroid injection

Abstract

Many lesions of the oral region are treated with surgical methods such as curettage and resection. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy with or without surgical intervention can be used as an adjunct in some cases. Intralesional steroid injection is a conservative procedure which is already used in various regions of the body and joints. This technique is used also for a number of mouth and jaw lesions. Localized langerhans cell histiocytosis, central giant cell granuloma, oral submucous fibrosis, oral lichen planus, lichen sclerosus of the oral mucosa, lymphatic malformations and orofacial granulomatosis can be considered among these diseases. The purpose of this review is to investigate the effects of intralesional steroid injections in the treatment of oral diseases.

Keywords: Intralesional injections; Steroids; Langerhans Cell histiocytosis; Giant cell granuloma; Oral submucous fibrosis; Oral lichen planus; Orofacial granulomatosis

Core tip: Intralesional steroid injections are often used in the lesion occurred in oral and maxillofacial region in recent years. Especially in large lesions, it can be applied as an alternative or adjunct to surgical procedures. It is an effective treatment method, because, without the need for major surgical procedures and providing patient comfort.