THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES IN THE TREATMENT OF ORAL LICHEN PLANUS

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory mucocutaneous disorder of immune-mediated origin with malignant transformation potential, whose multifactorial etiology involves genetic, immunological, and environmental factors, such as stress. Clinically, it manifests in reticular forms, characterized by Wickham's striae, as well as symptomatic atrophic and erosive-ulcerative lesions. The objective of this narrative review was to synthesize recent scientific evidence on therapeutic approaches used in OLP. Topical corticosteroids remain the first-line treatment for symptom and inflammation control, while calcineurin inhibitors and immunomodulatory therapies have emerged as effective alternatives for refractory cases. However, the heterogeneity of studies, together with small sample sizes and diverse protocols, limits direct comparisons and the determination of superiority among interventions. It is concluded that effective OLP management requires continuous and individualized clinical follow-up, highlighting the need for standardized clinical trials to strengthen therapeutic evidence.