Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology refers to diseases in the mouth, jaws or surrounding structures like salivary glands, tongue, lip, gum, nerves, vessels, muscles, mucosa and skin. The lining of the oral cavity is called mucosa. When healthy, this tissue should be smooth and pink. Any alteration in the texture or color of your oral mucosa, even minor changes, could be a warning sign for pathological processes. While these changes might be nothing, they could also point to a serious issue, like oral cancer. At Olney Center for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, we can diagnose pathological processes and provide you with the treatment you need to restore the health of your face, mouth or jaw.
Early detection and treatment provide a better chance for cure!
Oral and Maxillofacial pathological entities can be divided into two major categories.

• Hard tissue pathology (Pathological process like cyst or tumors that affect the bone)
• Soft tissue pathology (Pathological process that affect all other structures like mucosa, salivary glands and skin)

If Dr. Tebyanian suspects that you are suffering from an oral pathology, you may need a biopsy of the pathological tissue. A biopsy is a small sample of tissue that is removed and sent to a pathologist’s lab for confirmation of a diagnosis. Generally, a biopsy procedure only requires anesthesia in the location of the biopsy (local anesthesia) and usually requires just a regular office appointment. Dr. Tebyanian will determine the next course of treatment based on the pathologist’s findings.

Oral Cancer Screening

Everyone knows that early detection of any disease or serious medical condition can make a big difference regarding treatment options and recovery. The goal of oral cancer screening is to identify mouth cancer early, when there is a greater chance for a cure. However, an early diagnosis will only be possible if you are actively taking steps to monitor your oral and overall health, and go for regular checkups and exams.
Perform a Self Exam Monthly

In addition to regular checkups, the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons recommends that everyone perform an oral cancer self-exam each month. An oral examination is performed using a bright light and a mirror:

• Remove any dentures
• Look and feel inside the lips and the front of gums
• Tilt head back to inspect and feel the roof of your mouth
• Pull the cheek out to see its inside surface as well as the back of the gums
• Pull out your tongue and look at all of its surfaces
• Feel for lumps or enlarged lymph nodes (glands) in both sides of the neck including under the lower jaw

When performing an oral cancer self-examination, look for the following:

• White patches of the oral tissues — leukoplakia
• Red patches — erythroplakia
• Red and white patches — erythroleukoplakia
• A sore that fails to heal and bleeds easily
• An abnormal lump or thickening of the tissues of the mouth
• Chronic sore throat or hoarseness
• Difficulty in chewing or swallowing
• A mass or lump in the neck

Factors That May Cause Cancer

A number of primary factors may contribute to the development of oral cancer. These include:

• Heavy drinking and smoking
• Human papillomavirus version 16, which research shows is sexually transmitted between partners and related to the increasing incidence of oral cancer in young, non-smoking patients
• Smokeless chewing or spit tobacco, promoted by some as a safer alternative to smoking, is actually no safer when it comes to oral cancers
• Previous oral cancer diagnosis
• History of significant sun exposure, which increases the risk of lip cancer

Oral and facial pathologies will sometimes have no painful symptoms in the early stages, so regular checkups with your general dentist is recommended for catching pathologies early. If you notice any signs of a pathology in your mouth, including the tongue, tonsils, salivary glands, cheeks, lips, palate, and gums, please contact Olney Center for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery so that we can see you as soon as possible. We will make every effort to see you promptly for an evaluation of the area and a recommendation for next steps.