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Open research questions in Oral Health Pathology and Treatment

389 gap statements mined from Oral Health Pathology and Treatment papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 3,318 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

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What the literature leaves open

  • One challenge is the difficulty in diagnosing oral candidiasis due to its rare and atypical clinical presentation. Another challenge is the need for a multidisciplinary approach to treat oral adverse events associated with biological therapies.

    Chronic Hyperplastic Candidiasis—An Adverse Event of Secukinumab in the Oral Cavity: A Case Report and Literature Review · 2025 · DOI

  • Although its etiology remains unclear, esophageal melanosis has been linked to chronic mucosal inflammation or injury, which may be triggered by autoimmune alterations.

    Esophageal melanosis in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren's syndrome: A case report · 2026 · DOI

  • However, the roles of FTO in the context of oral lichen planus (OLP) remain unknown.

    FTO deficiency facilitates epithelia dysfunction in oral lichen planus · 2025 · DOI

  • The mechanisms by which keratinocytes regulate the homing migration of OLP IELs and their involvement in mucosal barrier disruption remain unclear. The role of the JAK/STAT pathway in regulating KCs proliferation and OLP IELs homing migration has not been fully understood.

    Keratinocytes regulate intraepithelial lymphocytes homing and mediate mucosal barrier integrity via JAK2/STAT3 signaling in oral lichen planus · 2026 · DOI

  • The technique requires standardization and validation. The study had a limited sample size. The technique needs to be compared with other detection methods.

    Flow cytometry in oral cytology: Improved brush biopsy-based delineation of oral malignant and potentially malignant lesions · 2026 · DOI

  • Further validation and standardization of the technique are needed. The study suggests the need for larger sample sizes and comparison with other detection methods. Future research should focus on the application of the technique in resource-limited settings.

    Flow cytometry in oral cytology: Improved brush biopsy-based delineation of oral malignant and potentially malignant lesions · 2026 · DOI

  • Future studies are recommended to incorporate psychological and personality assessments to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between psychosocial factors and OHRQoL. Although there is limited evidence on the association between occupational status and OHRQoL, this observation suggests that psychosocial and lifestyle factors may shape how patients perceive the burden of oral disease (27).

    The impact of oral diseases on the quality of life of patients attending the oral medicine clinic at a dental specialty centre · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of standardisation in MMO measurement techniques and terminology poses challenges for comparing outcomes across studies.

    Variability in Measurement Techniques and Terminology for Maximum Mouth Opening in Oral Submucous Fibrosis: A Critical Review of Methodological Inconsistencies · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of knowledge on the etiology and treatment of LVP. There is a need for further studies on the epidemiological profile and clinical characteristics of LVP.

    A IMPORTÂNCIA DO CUIDADO ODONTOLÓGICO EM PACIENTES COM LEUCOPLASIA VERRUCOSA PROLIFERATIVA: UMA REVISÃO INTEGRATIVA · 2026 · DOI

  • The link between aging biology and oral cancer development is not fully understood. There is a need for evidence-based strategies for prevention and early detection of oral cancer in geriatric populations.

    Oral cancer in the aging population: molecular mechanisms, major risk factors, and preventive strategies · 2026 · DOI

  • The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on oral health in children is not well understood. There is a need to analyze the effect of the pandemic on oral lesion diagnoses and biopsies in pediatric patients.

    Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on oral lesions diagnosed through biopsy in pediatric patients · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper highlights the need for a comparative study between the bulk-fill and conventional techniques. The study identifies the lack of research on the bulk-fill technique for Class II restorations.

    Assessment of Class II restorations using bulk-fill technique · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of accurate risk stratification for oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs). The limitations of conventional visual and tactile examination (CVTE) in distinguishing the risk profile of OPMD. The need for an objective measure of lesion severity to support consistent risk stratification and longitudinal monitoring.

    Oral Cancer Numerical Index (OCNI): Development and Validation of a Cytology-Based Risk Assessment for Oral Lesions · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of statistical support for the identified biomarkers means that the assertion should be viewed with caution. The study highlights the need for further research to confirm the prognostic value of the identified biomarkers.

    Biomarkers Indicating Early Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition Changes in Oral Epithelial Dysplasias: A Systematic Review · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies can investigate the long-term effects of chamomile tea on RAS. Research can compare chamomile tea to other herbal medications or conventional treatments. Studies can also explore the mechanisms by which chamomile tea alleviates burning sensation and reduces ulcer size.

    Evaluation of Chamomile Tea in the Management of Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis: A Prospective Comparative Study · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of research on the efficacy of chamomile tea in managing RAS. Current treatments for RAS are often palliative and can have detrimental outcomes, highlighting the need for alternative treatments.

    Evaluation of Chamomile Tea in the Management of Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis: A Prospective Comparative Study · 2026 · DOI

  • The prevalence and clinical significance of oral manifestations in Langerhans cell histiocytosis are not well understood. There is a need for a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate this topic.

    Prevalence of oral lesions in Langerhans cell histiocytosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies are needed to validate the potential biomarkers identified in this review. The development of non-invasive diagnostic tests for OLP using EV-associated biomarkers is a potential area of future research. The use of EV-associated biomarkers to inform the development of therapeutic agents targeting EV-associated pathways is a potential area of future research.

    Extracellular vesicles as biomarkers and disease mediators in lichen planus: a systematic review & meta-analysis · 2026 · DOI

  • There is still inconclusive evidence for oral submucous fibrosis and other potentially malignant disorders having consistent associations or independent prognosis.

    Evaluating the Role of Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) Expression in Oral Submucosal and Mucosal Lesions: A Molecular Pathology Schematic Approach · 2026 · DOI

  • Despite the heightened interest in the influence of human papillomavirus (HPV) on oral cancer, the overall incidence of HPV affecting patients with OLP remains inconclusive.

    Prevalence of human papillomavirus DNA in the saliva of patients with oral lichen planus · 2025 · DOI

  • Oral health in children received limited attention during the pandemic. The pandemic may have caused delays in diagnosis of oral lesions in children.

    Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on oral lesions diagnosed through biopsy in pediatric patients · 2026 · DOI

  • Retrospective study design, - Limited to patients treated at Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, - Exclusion of HPV-positive…

    Oral squamous cell carcinoma arising from oral epithelial dysplasia shows high postoperative recurrence despite favorable histopathology · 2026 · DOI

  • Investigation of strategies for postoperative risk stratification and recurrence prevention, - Study of the relationship between OPMDs and OSCC recurrence, - Examination of the role of margin dysplasia in recurrence…

    Oral squamous cell carcinoma arising from oral epithelial dysplasia shows high postoperative recurrence despite favorable histopathology · 2026 · DOI

  • External validation of the OCNI in independent cohorts - Evaluation of the OCNI in different clinical settings - Investigation of the OCNI's ability to monitor disease…

    Oral Cancer Numerical Index (OCNI): Development and Validation of a Cytology-Based Risk Assessment for Oral Lesions · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of statistical support, - Small sample sizes in some studies, - Variability in OED classification…

    Biomarkers Indicating Early Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition Changes in Oral Epithelial Dysplasias: A Systematic Review · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Oral Health Pathology and Treatment

Most recent work

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Open questions raised by papers listed on this page include: (1) Although its etiology remains unclear, esophageal melanosis has been linked to chronic mucosal inflammation or injury, which may be triggered by autoimmune alterations (“Esophageal melanosis in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus and…”, 2026); (2) The mechanisms by which keratinocytes regulate the homing migration of OLP IELs and their involvement in mucosal barrier disruption remain unclear (“Keratinocytes regulate intraepithelial lymphocytes homing and mediate mucosal…”, 2026); (3) Further validation and standardization of the technique are needed (“Flow cytometry in oral cytology: Improved brush biopsy-based delineation of…”, 2026); (4) The lack of standardisation in MMO measurement techniques and terminology poses challenges for comparing outcomes across studies (“Variability in Measurement Techniques and Terminology for Maximum Mouth Opening…”, 2026); (5) There is a lack of knowledge on the etiology and treatment of LVP (“A IMPORTÂNCIA DO CUIDADO ODONTOLÓGICO EM PACIENTES COM LEUCOPLASIA VERRUCOSA…”, 2026). 389 gap statements have been mined from Oral Health Pathology and Treatment papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 3,318 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

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