ORAL LICHEN PLANUS-A CASE REPORT

Abstract

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is an autoimmune, mucocutaneous disease affecting oral mucosa, skin,
scalp, genital mucosa and nails. The exact etiology of this disease is not yet known, but stress,
drugs, dental fillings, genetic factors, immunity, and hyper-sensitivity reactions can contribute to
its pathogenesis. Clinically, the lesions are usually multiple and bilateral and appear on various
sites of the oral cavity. The disease mostly affects middle-aged females and is infrequently found
in children. The atrophic and erosive forms of OLP are less common. Histologically, the lesions
usually show both atrophy and acanthosis of the squamous epithelium along with the “sawtooth”
pattern of the rete ridges, with a hydropic degeneration of the basal layer. Here we present to you
a case of lichen planus in a 44 year old female patient who visited the dental hospital with the
complaint of burning sensation on the right and left buccal mucosa.