Oral Mucosa Capillaroscopy: A Narrative Review

Abstract

The oral cavity may suffer from diseases and lesions of different natures that can result in changes to the underlying microvasculature. These changes are typically observed during the examination of biopsy samples, but there is still a need to investigate methods for characterizing them in live tissues. Capillaroscopy, a medical imaging technique using polarized light and magnification, has shown promise in providing enhanced imaging of the oral mucosa microvasculature in preliminary studies. The present work proposed to review the literature on what capillaroscopy is, its applications in the imaging of oral mucosa microvasculature, and its diagnostic and prognostic significance in various diseases and conditions. While there is the limited literature available, further research in oral capillaroscopy, particularly in the field of oral oncology, is needed to determine its potential benefits in diagnosing and predicting outcomes for potentially malignant oral disorders and cancers.