Oral Pathology - Lane Oral Surgery

The inside of the mouth is normally lined with a special type of skin (mucosa) that is smooth and coral pink in color. These are your gums and soft tissues of the mouth. Any alteration in this appearance could be a warning sign for a pathological process. So routinely checking the coloration of these soft tissues through oral pathology exams is important to identify potential concerns early. The most serious of these is oral cancer which affects around 53,000 Americans. Identifying oral cancer early gives you the best chance of successful treatment.

When we examine your mouth for areas of concern, we look at both the inside and outside. Imbalances or lumps around the neck or lymph nodes are noted and any discoloration of your soft tissues will be addressed. If we find something concerning, many times we will take a biopsy of the tissue and perform tests on it to discover if it is something potentially harmful. If you do not receive treatment for these concerns or never receive an oral pathology exam, oral cancers can develop, which can be deadly.