Oral Pathology Barrie, ON

Since there is no national screening program for oral cancer, regular dental exams offer the best chance for detecting a malignant or pre-malignant lesion inside the oral cavity. During regular exams, if the dentist finds something suspicious, the doctors at Huronia Oral Surgery Group are qualified to evaluate, diagnose and treat various oral cavity pathologic conditions.

Diagnosis may demonstrate that the lesion is benign using a biopsy, typically performed on an out-patient basis under local anesthesia. A representative sample of tissue is obtained through the biopsy and sent to a pathologist for microscopic evaluation. Depending on the results of the biopsy, further treatment may or may not be recommended by the surgeon.

Oral Lesions

Inside the mouth is a special type of skin called mucosa. It is smooth to touch and coral pink in color. One warning sign for a pathological process is an alteration with the mucosa. Warning signs indicating there may be a problem include:

Any of these changes may be detected on the lips, cheeks, palate, gum tissue around the teeth, tongue, face and/or neck. Pain is not always present with a change, nor is it associated with oral cancer, however pain is a strong reason to be seen. Additionally, monthly self-evaluations for abnormalities in your mouth is recommended.