Treatment trends in oral lichen planus and oral lichenoid lesions (Review)

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease, associated with altered cell-mediated immunological function. It has long-term evolution, repeated exacerbations, sometimes painful and resistant to treatment, even all of these, OLP significantly affects patient's life quality. Not least, OLP is accompanied by an increased risk of malignant transformation. A wide spectrum of therapeutic options is available, but none are curative. In this review, 58 structured studies on the clinical symptomatology and treatment strategy of OLP were analyzed. The literature research was performed according to the criteria of the PRISMA system. This study summarizes current knowledge regarding management of OLP and oral lichenoid lesions, discusses the challenges of choosing an adequate treatment and, in attempt to improve the quality of patient life, trying to describe a therapeutic algorithm that takes into consideration the clinical features of the disease. Current OLP therapy aims at eliminating all mucosal-related lesions, reduce symptomatology and decrease the risk of oral cancer and include corticosteroids, immunomodulatory agents, retinoids, ultraviolet irradiation and/or laser therapy.