Why a Biopsy?
Biopsies are actually simple procedures, involving the removal of oral tissue for examination by a pathologist. And although the word ‘biopsy’ may cause anxiety due to it’s inherent link to cancer evaluation, you need not jump to conclusions: the majority of biopsies do not result in a cancer diagnosis. There are a number of reasons why your dentist could refer you to our surgeons for an oral biopsy. First, of all, you may have a lesion in your mouth that he or she cannot identify. Or, you may have a lesion that hasn’t healed in over two weeks, or one that has grown larger over time. Biopsies are also done to identify the cause of any thick, white lesions rising above your normal oral tissue, or to investigate any lumps below the skin surface. Furthermore, biopsies are indicated when a person drinks or smokes heavily and also has suspicious areas of varying texture inside their mouth. And finally, some medical conditions can make a person more susceptible to intra-oral lesions, which r
