Comparison of the effect of the pulsed Er: YAG laser and topical corticosteroid on erosive oral lichen planus: a randomized clinical controlled trial

The formation mechanism of OLP is very complicated, and its treatment has always been a difficult problem. This study was to explore the feasibility of pulsed Er: YAG laser in the treatment of erosive OLP by comparing its effect with that of Triamcinolone Acetonide ointment(TA) of OLP, in order to provide new ideas for the clinical treatment of erosive OLP. Forty patients who were clinically and histopathologically diagnosed as OLP at the Department of Periodontics and Oral Mucosa Disease of Dalian Stomatological Hospital were selected, all lesions accompanied by erosion. The included patients were randomly divided into two groups: Er: YAG group and TA group, with 20 cases in each group. The visual analogue scale (VAS), mean lesion area, clinical sign score, and function score in both groups were evaluated at baseline, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month and 3 months after treatment, and the recurrence rate of cured patients in both groups was evaluated at 3 months after treatment. Er: YAG laser was superior to TA in relieving pain at 1 week(1.50 ± 0.946 vs. 2.10 ± 0.912, P < 0.05) and improving function at all stages(P < 0.05). But TA was superior to the pulsed Er: YAG laser in promoting the healing of erosive lesions at 2 weeks(0.07 ± 0.223 vs. 0.31 ± 0.549, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in recurrence between the two groups(P > 0.05). There is no significant difference between pulsed Er: YAG laser and TA in the treatment of erosive OLP. The use of pulsed Er: YAG laser represents a viable and effective therapeutic option for erosive OLP.