Congratulations on your non-cancerous diagnosis. I, too, had lichen planus. In a small percentage of cases (3-5% depending on which study you read), the lichen planus' lesions can turn malignant. This is what happened to me. I had three non-cancerous biopsies before one of my lesions developed into SCC.

It is extremely important that you closely monitor these lesions. I started seeing an oral pathologist once a year to check on mine. In retrospect, I should have done it every three months. Also, see if you can find a dentist, periodontist or oral pathologist who has experience with lichen planus. There are a variety of treatments, none of which eliminate the lichen planus patches of discoloration but which can alleviate the discomfort associated with them. These include steroidal creams, rinse and ointments. Also, lichen planus patients are usually more succeptible to fungal infections so it is good to have some anti-fungal lozenges (or trouches as they're sometimes called) to jump on any indication of a fungus infection.

I was fortunate to find an oral pathologist in New York City who has treated over 1000 people with my condition. It's worth the 5 hour drive to see him. Following my radiation, I still check in with him every 3 months to check for any cancerous or pre-cancerous patches. His examination is different from my ENT doc in that he checks the tissues of the oral cavity more carefully but doesn't seem as familiar with some of the manual examination techniques that the ENT uses to check the lymph nodes and muscles in the head neck area.

Again, it's great news that you don't have cancer and it is an opportunity to closely watch your lichen planus to jump on any potential lesions or patches before they develop further. Best, Sheldon