Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe a new case using implant-retained overdentures in a patient with severe oral lichen planus (OLP) and to perform a literature review to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of implant rehabilitation in OLP patients.
Material and methods: In our patient with erosive OLP, restoration was performed with implant-retained overdentures using the Locator attachment system (Zest Anchors, Escondido, CA). Our case showed favorable restorative results and excellent implant osseointegration with acceptable marginal bone resorption during the follow-up period of 3 years. We performed a literature search of the PubMed (Medline), Embase, and Cochrane databases for articles published between 1990 and 2018 using the key terms "oral lichen planus" and "implant."
Results: This search identified 13 publications, including 9 single case reports or case series and 4 small-scale controlled studies. A total of 86 OLP patients and 259 dental implants were analyzed. The survival rate of implants was 95.8% during a follow-up period ranging from 1 to 13 years.
Conclusion: Dental implants seem to be an acceptable and reliable treatment option in patients with OLP. Nevertheless, clinical information on this topic is still scarce, and more well-designed randomized studies are needed to define the benefits and risks of implant rehabilitation in OLP patients.
Copyright © 2018 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.