What is an Oral Biopsy?

Posted on 4/26/2021 by Pacific Oral and Facial Surgery Center

Oral biopsy is the process of surgically obtaining a tissue sample from a patient's oral cavity. It is then observed under a microscope to check for cancer cells.

Your oral surgeon may suggest oral biopsy in case of an oral lesion, bone lesion or inflammatory alterations in the oral cavity for an unknown reason. It is general practice for your oral surgeon to conduct a head and neck examination along with a biopsy.

According to the American Cancer Society, there are three major types of oral biopsies:

Exfoliative Cytology

An oral surgeon gently scrapes cells from the suspected area during this process. This technique has the advantage of being noninvasive, quick, and painless, particularly if the region is only marginally suspicious. Since all oral cancers cannot be detected using this method, you may have to go through a more invasive biopsy.

Incisional Biopsy

This technique involves cutting a tissue sample for testing. This surgery can be performed either under local in a dentist's clinic or general anesthesia in an operating room. In some cases, your oral surgeon may feel the need to perform an excisional biopsy, which implicates cutting out a substantial part of the suspected area, including some healthy tissue.

Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy (FNA)

An oral surgeon may advise an NA biopsy if there is a lump in your neck. It is an in-office procedure where a thin needle is used to extract cells or fluid from the lump. Local anesthesia is usually administered before this biopsy.

Oral biopsy is usually painless, except for the needle prick that is used to inject the anesthesia. Other than that, you may feel some pressure while the surgeon collects a sample using specialized instruments. If you think you require an oral screening, do not hesitate to visit us at Pacific Oral & Facial Surgery Center. Schedule an appointment by calling us at 925-290-7727 today.

Board certified in Oral & Maxillofacial surgery

The surgical specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery requires up to six additional years of hospital based surgical and anesthesia training beyond dental school.

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1133 E. Stanley Blvd. #215 • Livermore, CA 94550
Phone: 925-290-7727 Fax: 925-294-8800
Email: info@pacificofs.com

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2160 W. Grant Line Road #160 • Tracy, CA 95377
Phone: 209-835-4600 • Fax: 209-835-8833
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Dental Blog | Livermore & Tracy CA | Michael Beckley DDS
For more information on oral surgery, and to schedule your consultation, call Pacific Oral & Facial Surgery Center in Livermore and Tracy today.
Pacific Oral and Facial Surgery Center, 1133 E Stanley Blvd #215, Livermore, CA 94550, 925-290-7727, pacificofs.com, 12/4/2024, Related Terms: oral surgeon Livermore,