title: Oral lichen planus and contact allergy to mercury.
abstract: 29 patients with oral lichen planus and amalgam fillings were patch tested for contact allergy to dental materials. 18 of these patients (62%) had a contact allergy to mercury. In a control material, the frequency of mercury allergy was 3.2%. In 3 of the patients the lesions healed completely after removal of the amalgam fillings. On the basis of these findings it is recommended that all amalgam fillings be removed after a positive patch test to mercury, as a step in the treatment of oral lichen planus.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008010:Lichen Planus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D010328:Patch Tests
chemical_list: D003723:Dental Amalgam; D008628:Mercury