Healing of lichenoid reactions following removal of amalgam. A clinical follow-up
The purpose of the study was to evaluate removal of dental amalgam as treatment of patients with lichenoid reactions in order to establish adequate routines for handling patients with this diagnosis. In the study, 159 patients were reexamined. Partial or total removal of amalgam had been recommended. The results showed that partial removal had been performed in 62 patients and complete removal of all amalgam in 69 patients. Twenty-eight patients had not had any substitution therapy. Of the patients with lichenoid lesions only in contact with amalgam filling 92% healed or improved clinically following removal of amalgam. More than 60% of buccal lichenoid lesions without contact with amalgam at time of referral disappeared following amalgam substitution. Gingival lichenoid lesions did not respond to substitution of amalgam. The researchers concluded that dental amalgam plays a role in the development of lichenoid reactions and should be removed when in clinical contact with the lichenoid lesion. [S.L. ]
Henriksson, E., U. Mattsson, and J. Hakansson, J Clin Periodont, 22:287,1995