Using immunofluorescence in the diagnosis of chronic ulcerative lesions of the oral mucosa.

Chronic ulcerative diseases of the oral mucosa are commonly seen in clinical practice. On clinical and histological appearance, the lesions may be hard to differentiate from each other. The establishment of definite diagnosis is essential because the patient may require different management and have widely varying prognosis. Immunofluorescence studies aid greatly in the process of determining the diagnosis of a number of chronic ulcerative diseases. This article reviews these chronic ulcerative diseases, describing their clinical, microscopic, and immunofluorescence characteristics. Methods of diagnosis and management of the diseases also are discussed.