Buccal Mucosa Assessed by Ultrasonography in Healthy Adults: Methodology and Determination of Normal Appearance.

The aim of the work described here was to compare intra-oral and transcutaneous ultrasonography (US) scanning and to determine the normal values of buccal mucosa thickness and echogenicity. A total of 190 volunteers underwent US examination of the buccal mucosa. The thickness of the buccal epithelial layer was recorded in 19 subjects via both intra-oral and transcutaneous methods. Overall, 171 healthy adults were examined through intra-oral US. Buccal epithelial layer measurement was unreliable via the transcutaneous method (p = 0.001). The mean time required for visualizing the buccal mucosa was 75 and 171s with intra-oral and transcutaneous US, respectively (p < 0.001). The thickness of the buccal epithelial layers significantly differed with age and sex (p < 0.001), and was positively correlated with height, weight and body surface area. Intra-oral US was proposed as a conventional method for examination of the buccal mucosa. Normal buccal epithelial thickness in adults is associated with age, sex, height, weight and body surface area.