Preliminary evaluation of the utility of optical coherence tomography in detecting structural changes during photobiomodulation treatment in patients with atrophic-erosive oral lichen planus

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a common oral inflammatory condition. Against symptomatic atrophic-erosive OLP, topical steroids, or photobiomodulation (PBM) are deployed. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides real-time, non-invasive, tissue investigation. Aim of this study was to evaluate modifications OCT pattern in patients with painful before and after treatment PBM, comparing those results treated steroid. Two groups 20 OLP were evaluated. Group A underwent two daily application 0.05 % clobetasol propionate for 8 weeks; group B eight weekly PBM sessions using 980/645 nm diode laser. scans performed treatment, six months end the proposed protocol. Changes width stratified epithelium (EP) lamina propria (LP) quantified. After 8-weeks, both experienced significant increase EP (p < 0.05), decrease LP Δ-EP significantly higher than = 0.0015); conversely, Δ-LP not different > 0.05). months, remained only 0.01), no mean Increase might be explained as consequence ability promote epithelial healing, reduce interface inflammation. When investigated OCT, appears provide more short-term structural changes, whereas guarantee long-term alterations.