Oral Lichen Planus and Dental Implants: Protocol and Systematic Review

Effect of a Single Dose of Deflazacort on Postoperative Pain, Swelling, and Trismus after Impacted Lower Third Molar Surgery: Randomised Clinical Trial

Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a single preoperative dose of deflazacort on pain, swelling, and trismus after impacted lower third molar surgery. Materials and Methods: This randomised, prospective, double-blind, split-mouth clinical study included 26 healthy individuals with bilaterally impacted lower third molars. Group 1 was given a placebo (single-dose vitamin C tablet), and group 2 was given a single 30 mg dose of deflazacort 1 h prior to surgery. Pain was evaluated using the visual analogue scale for 1 week postoperatively. Oedema (in mm) and trismus (in mm) were evaluated preoperatively and on postoperative days 2 and 7. The Mann-Whitney U test was applied for group analyses. p values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: Postoperative pain scores were significantly lower in the deflazacort group at the 6th and 12th hours after surgery (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in trismus between the groups at any time point (p > 0.05). There was less oedema in the deflazacort group on postoperative days 2 and 7, without any statistically significant difference (p > 0.05). Conclusions: A single preoperative dose of 30 mg deflazacort was found to be clinically effective in reducing pain and oedema after extraction of impacted lower third molars.

Dental implant considerations in patients with systemic diseases: An updated comprehensive review

BACKGROUND

Various medical conditions and the drugs used to treat them have been shown to impede or complicate dental implant surgery. It is crucial to carefully monitor the medical status and potential post-operative complications of patients with systemic diseases, particularly elderly patients, to minimize the risk of health complications that may arise.

AIM

The purpose of this study was to review the existing evidence on the viability of dental implants in patients with systemic diseases and to provide practical recommendations to achieve the best possible results in the corresponding patient population.

METHODS

The information for our study was compiled using data from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases and searched separately for each systemic disease included in our work until October 2023. An additional manual search was also performed to increase the search sensitivity. Only English-language publications were included and assessed according to titles, abstracts and full texts.

RESULTS

In total, 6784 studies were found. After checking for duplicates and full-text availability, screening for the inclusion criteria and manually searching reference lists, 570 articles remained to be considered in this study.

CONCLUSION

In treating patients with systemic conditions, the cost-benefit analysis should consider the patient's quality of life and expected lifespan. The success of dental implants depends heavily on ensuring appropriate maintenance therapy, ideal oral hygiene standards, no smoking and avoiding other risk factors. Indications and contraindications for dental implants in cases of systemic diseases are yet to be more understood; broader and hardcore research needs to be done for a guideline foundation.

Comparison of autologous platelet concentrates and topical steroids on oral lichen planus: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Oral lichen planus is a chronic and potentially malignant disorder of oral mucosa. Corticosteroids are used as first-line therapy for oral lichen planus patients; however, they have many side effects. Platelet concentrates (platelet-rich plasma and platelet-rich fibrin) are autologous bioactive materials. This systematic review investigated the effects of autologous platelet concentrates compared to topical steroids in treating symptomatic oral lichen planus patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane for randomized controlled trials. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and meta-analysis guidelines were observed for article selection. For the pooling of studies, meta-analysis using Standardized Mean Differences by random effects model was carried out to estimate summary effect sizes for the treatment of oral lichen planus.

RESULTS

A total of six studies, incorporating 109 oral lichen planus patients, were involved. Both treatment modalities showed a statistically significant improvement in the outcome parameters (lesion size, pain score, Thongprasom score) from the baseline to the end of treatment and further to the follow-up visits. There was no significant difference in the pooled estimate SMD of pain decline in patients of the two groups (SMD = 0.17 (95% CI: -0.47 to 0.81); I2 = 63.6%). The SMD of Thongprasom score in patients receiving autologous platelet concentrates was lower than the corticosteroid groups, with no significant effect size (SMD= -2.88 (95% CI: -5.51 to -0.25); I2 = 91.7%). Therefore, there was no statistically significant difference between the autologous platelet concentrates and topical steroids regarding pain and clinical score.

CONCLUSION

Autologous platelet concentrates, and topical steroids decreased the size of lesions, Thongprasom scale, and pain in oral lichen planus patients, but the difference between the two treatments was not statistically significant. Thus, autologous platelet concentrates could be considered as an alternative treatment to topical steroids.

Dental Implant Treatment in Patients Suffering from Oral Lichen Planus: A Narrative Review

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to describe the complications and survival rates of dental implants placed in patients suffering from oral lichen planus (OLP) and to present recommendations for implant treatment in this group of patients through a narrative review of the published studies.

METHODS

A search of the literature was conducted using four databases: PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Scopus with a stop date of May 2022.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies were evaluated. The results showed that dental implant survival rates in patients with OLP were similar to those reported in the general population. Moreover, the existing literature seemed to imply that OLP is not a suspected risk factor for peri-implant diseases. However, patients suffering from erosive forms of OLP or desquamative gingivitis and poor oral hygiene were more susceptible to developing peri-implant diseases; in addition, oral squamous cell carcinoma was observed in a few cases of OLP.

CONCLUSION

With the limitations of this narrative review, dental implants may be regarded as a safe and feasible therapeutic approach to the treatment of patients with well-controlled OLP. These patients should be monitored carefully during follow-up care. Well-designed prospective trials are required to validate the present findings.

A Case Report of Dental Implants and Site Augmentation in a Patient with Erosive Lichen Planus

Lichen planus (LP) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease that affects oral mucosal tissue, leading to complications in patients treated with dental implant therapy. This case report discusses the clinical management of a patient diagnosed with an erosive type of LP. After disease management, the patient was treated with dental implants in the upper and lower jaws with augmentation procedures around the implants. All implants were loaded after a three-month period of healing. Slight bone loss was observed in the upper premolar area following an exaggerated soft tissue response to the augmentation procedure. Within one year of implant placement, no additional complications were encountered.

Implant-prosthetic treatment in patients with oral lichen planus: A systematic review

AIMS

This review is aiming on identifying the ideal implant-prosthetic treatment design in patients with OLP.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A systematic review was conducted using four electronic databases; Medline (PubMed), Cochrane library, DOAJ and SCOPUS, following the PRISMA statement recommendations to answer the PICO question: "which implant-prosthetic treatment design is most useful to ensure implant survival in OLP patients?". The study was pre-registered in PROSPERO (CRD 42020220102). Included articles quality was assessed using the "Newcastle-Ottawa scale" and the JBI critical appraisal tool for case series. No article was found specifically designed to analyze the prosthetic influence on implant survival in OLP patients. Despite, information about implant-prostheses in studies designed with other goals was compiled. Eight articles that involved 141 patients and 341 implants were finally selected. The weighted mean follow-up was 38 months and the weighted mean survival of the implants 98.9%. No statistical differences were observed between cemented or screw retained prostheses and the materials employed or the technology to manufacture the prostheses.

CONCLUSION

The influence of prosthetic design on implant survival in OLP patients is still poorly understood, but important clinical recommendations can be drawn. The strength of evidence was grade 3b (CEBM) or low (GRADE).

The Influence of Diet on Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Induced by Bacterial Biofilms in the Human Oral Cavity

The article is a concise compendium of knowledge on the etiology of pathogenic microorganisms of all complexes causing oral diseases. The influence of particular components of the diet and the role of oxidative stress in periodontal diseases were described. The study investigated the bacteriostatic effect of the diet of adults in in vivo and in vitro tests on the formation of bacterial biofilms living in the subgingival plaque, causing diseases called periodontitis. If left untreated, periodontitis can damage the gums and alveolar bones. Anaerobic bacteria, called periopathogens or periodontopathogens, play a key role in the etiopathogenesis of periodontitis. The most important periopathogens of the oral microbiota are bacteria of all complexes, including the red complex. The obtained results suggest the possibility of using a specific diet in the prevention and treatment of periodontal diseases-already treated as a disease of civilization. The quoted article is an innovative compilation of knowledge on this subject and it can be a valuable source of knowledge for professional hygienists, dentists, peridontologists, dentistry students and anyone who cares about proper oral hygiene. The obtained results suggest the possibility of using this type of diet in the prophylaxis of the oral cavity in order to avoid periodontitis.

[Mucoperiodontal lesions: improvement of prosthodontic treatment considering initial indicators of patients' oral health]

OBJECTIVE

To assess the need for prosthodontic treatment and to substantiate the features and perspectives for optimizing prosthodontic treatment in patients with mucoperiodontal manifestations of lichen planus (LP).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

For assessment of the need and identification of problematic aspects of prosthetic treatment 74 patients (48.3% of the primary sample of all patients with oral LP) with oral LP-associated mucoperiodontal lesions (MPL) participated in a multicenter open cohort prospective controlled clinical trial with elements of retrospective analysis. The prospective part of the study summarizes the results of prosthodontic treatment of 41 patients (8 men and 33 women aged 45-70 years) carried out using improved therapeutic and diagnostic algorithms applied to the specifics of the MPL forms and stages.

RESULTS

The use of standard protocols of prosthodontic treatment without taking into account the status of oral mucosa in patients with oral LP was associated with the development of nonspecific (prosthetic stomatitis - 25.8%; contact-allergic stomatitis - 22.6%; focal hyperplasia - 16.1%; decubital ulcers - 12.9%, etc.) and oral LP-associated specific reactions (Kebner's symptom - 35.5%; transformation of the typical form into complicated ones - 22.6%; desquamative gingivitis and gingival lichenization - 19.4% each; gum recession - 16.5%) with the involvement of skin and mucous membranes of other localizations (6.5%) and the appearance of symptoms of carcinophobia/dentophobia (25.8%). Prosthetic treatment according to improved protocols for the management of patients with oral LP indicated a decrease in the frequency of nonspecific oral mucosal reactions (by 70.7%, p<0.001), single (4.8%) specific reactions, improvement of masticatory efficiency by 32.8-55.3% (p<0.01), harmonization of speech function, maintenance of a high level of hygiene of prostheses, a significant reduction in the time of adaptation to removable dentures and increased satisfaction with the results of treatment on the GRS scale (1.06±0.3 points after treatment; 3.8±0.5 points before treatment; p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

The best dynamics of clinical and sociological indicators was noted in persons with prosthetic replacement structures based on implants.