If you've been diagnosed with lichen planus, you're in the minority. That being said, it's a fairly common ailment, and the condition affects about 1 in 100 people at some point in their lives. It's a chronic condition that results in patches of small papules (raised area of skin) on your body and your oral mucosa (in your mouth). When lichen planus is affecting your mouth, can you still receive a dental implant?

A Benign Condition

Lichen planus is a benign condition and isn't going to endanger your health. It can still be a considerable annoyance since the papules can seemingly flare up without warning. When these papules are evident in your mouth, it doesn't mean that you're unable to have a dental implant placed in your mouth, but the condition must be taken into consideration when scheduling your surgery.

Jaw Bone and Soft Tissues

Dental implants rely upon a healthy jaw bone with adequate density, and your gingival tissue also needs to be in a good condition. The presence of any papules resulting from lichen planus means that your dentist might opt to slightly delay your dental implant procedure until the papules have subsided. This generally doesn't take long, so any delay will be minimal.

Topical Treatment

Many people don't receive treatment for lichen papules, which isn't a concern since the condition doesn't really require intervention. However, upcoming dental implant surgery means that your dentist might wish to offer topical treatment. This generally involves corticosteroid treatment to shrink the papules. 

Proceeding with Dental Implant Surgery

Once your lichen planus and the subsequent papules are being managed, it's usually safe to proceed with your dental implant surgery. While subsequent appointments are required for all dental implant patients, your dentist might ask you to visit more often than a patient without lichen planus. This is to ensure that any subsequent papules are promptly treated, as they might interfere with the healing process in which the implant integrates with your bone and soft tissues. This allows them to quickly reapply any topical treatments so that the papules don't have the potential to contribute to implant failure. 

Lichen planus isn't a hugely relevant constraint for receiving a dental implant, although the condition must be managed before the implant can be placed. Additionally, there will be strict follow-ups so that your condition can be closely monitored while the implant is healing. Reach out to a professional for more information about dental implants.