Abstract
Purpose To evaluate marginal bone loss (MBL) of dental implants inserted in active lichen planus patients. Materials and Methods The study included 59 subjects divided into 3 groups depending on their lichen planus diagnosis and administration of a low dose of corticosteroids: 17 healthy individuals, 20 controlled lichen planus patients controlled using low doses of systemic corticosteroids, and 22 noncontrolled lichen planus patients. During 4-year follow-up sessions MBL was evaluated, and biopsies were collected from lichen planus patients and examined. Two-way ANOVA was used to analyze the data (alpha = 0.05). Results There was no statistically significant difference in MBL between healthy and controlled patients; however, noncontrolled patients exhibited increased MBL (F = 1309, p < 0.001) which reached 2.53 mm after 4 years. There were significant interactions between state of the disease (F = 1309, p < 0.001), evaluation time (F = 317, p < 0.001), and interaction between state of the disease and observation time (F = 159, p < 0.001). Histopathologic examination of collected biopsies revealed healthy tissue architecture of the controlled patients, while inflammatory cellular infiltration and signs of classical destructive tissue were observed for noncontrolled patients. Conclusions Lichen planus patients receiving dental implants should be controlled on a low-dose of corticosteroids to prevent accelerated MBL and to reduce remission of clinical manifestations.