Oral lichen planus and lichenoid lesions: what's new?

In recent years, a large number of studies have been published evaluating the therapy of oral lichen planus. In addition to standard medication such as topical glucocorticoid therapy, substances such as Aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, and treatments from traditional Chinese medicine have also been investigated. It is not always easy for dental practitioners to find an adequate therapy according to the clinical picture. This article presents therapies for dental practitioners who do not focus on treating patients with oral mucosa diseases. Oral lichenoid lesions, which are clinically and histologically similar, must be distinguished from oral lichen planus. Before starting therapy, it is necessary to differentiate between drug- and contact-related variants. Both clinical features have in common that according to the World Health Organization (2017) they belong to the class of potentially malignant disorders. Accordingly, these patients must be referred to a regular, and in oral lichen planus patients, lifelong, recall.