Immunopathology of oral mucosal inflammatory diseases

Many inflammatory conditions of oral mucous membranes are the end result of altered immune reactivity. Lesions from these disorders, as well as a wide variety of infectious, irritant, and idiopathic conditions, appear clinically similar in the mouth and are difficult to differentiate. New and improved immunologic laboratory techniques have helped to further our understanding of the pathogenesis of many of these disorders and have proved to be valuable in clarifying the diagnosis underlying many of these difficult dermatoses.