Oral Lichen Planus Disciplines Dentistry | Oral Biology and Oral Pathology | Stomatognathic Diseases

A72-year-old woman presented with asix-month history of a painful burningsensation in her mouth. Examination revealed lesions on the buccal mucosa and the lateral surface of her tongue (Figure 1). A biopsy of the buccal mucosa revealed histopathologic features consistent with oral lichen planus (Appendix 1, available at www.cmaj.ca /lookup /suppl /doi:10.1503/cmaj.111825 /-/DC1). Topical corticosteroid treatment and topical antifungal prophylaxis resulted in substantial improvement of her condition within one month. Lichen planus is a chronic autoimmune dis-ease that affects various surfaces, including the skin, scalp, nails and mucous membranes.1,2 Global prevalence is about 1 % to 2%.2 The dis-ease affects people of all ethnic groups. It is mos