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Most people think of oral surgeons as specialists who care for patients with impacted wisdom teeth or implant therapy needs. Oral surgeons also offer oral pathology services to patients with pathology such as suspicious oral lesions or oral cancers.

Oral pathology does not appear the same in texture or color as the natural tissues around it. Most oral mucosa (skin) is smooth and light pink in shade. Areas of concern may be those that:

• Are different in appearance from the same area on the opposite side of the mouth
• Red or white patches that are abnormal in shape or size
• Sores in the mouth which do not heal within 2 weeks time
• Lesions that do not have a smooth border or texture to them
• Lumps or hard areas that are not normal
• Difficulty swallowing
• Loss of voice that does not return

Not only are areas inside of the mouth of a concern, but other areas of head and neck pathology that is often detected by a dentist include the lower lip or lymph nodes in the neck and cranium. Tobacco and alcohol use may place patients at an increased risk to develop pathologies such as oral cancer in their mouth.

Your personal physician may refer you to an oral surgeon if you have an unexpected or abnormal lesion of the head, neck or mouth. If your dentist identifies an abnormality it may be possible to do a biopsy or other tissue evaluation to determine if the pathology is serious or not. If the tissue isn’t healthy or normal, you can visit an oral surgeon to have the area removed, as well as discuss any other treatment necessary due to the anatomy of the pathology.

Early intervention and diagnosis is important for comprehensive dental care. Having areas examined as soon as possible allow for better treatment, especially for serious problems like oral cancer.

Posted on the behalf of Mountain View Oral Surgery & Dental Implants

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