Low-level laser as a complementary therapy in orofacial granulomatosis management: a case report

Abstract

Orofacial granulomatosis (OFG) is a chronic inflammatory disease that typically affects the soft tissues of the orofacial region. The most common clinical manifestation of OFG is lip swelling, which may be associated with intrabuccal ulcerations and increased growth of the gingiva and mucosa, as well as cutaneous erythema and facial edema. The treatment for OFG is challenging, and sometimes considered unsatisfactory. Thus, this study presents a case report of OFG and the therapeutic regimen applied. A 47-year-old man presented with increased lip volume which had started 10 months earlier. His lips were thick with a fibroelastic consistency, which were painless upon palpation. Incisional biopsy and histopathological analysis of the upper lip revealed non-specific granulomatous inflammation and the diagnosis of OFG was subsequently made. Low-level laser therapy was successfully used to treat OFG in this case, and appears to be an efficient treatment for OFG when corticosteroid therapy is not enough.