RESUMEN
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although sclerotherapy has been recently applied for plunging ranula, surgical approaches such as marsupialization have been the primary mode of treatment. Marsupialization may be done through simple excision via transcervical approach or via combined approach, intraorally and trabscervically. This study examined the effectiveness of intraoral excision for the treatment of plunging ranula. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: This prospective clinical study was comprised of 15 patients who were treated for plunging ranula through intraoral excision of the raluna and sublingual gland. RESULTS: All of the 15 patients showed a complete removal of sublingual gland. The cystic wall of ranula could be dissected for only three patients (20%) and for twelve patients (80%), it could not be dissected intraorally. Rupture of ranula developed in all patients (100%) during intraoral dissection. Recurrence did not occurr at all during a median follow-up period of 14 months (range, 7-35 month) after the intraoral excision. There were no side effects and external scarring. CONCLUSION: The intraoral approach for removal of the plunging ranula is highly effective as a primary treatment modality of plunging ranula.