Facial and Oral Pathology

Facial and oral pathology is a specialty of dentistry that focuses on diagnosing and treating oral diseases, including oral cancer. Our team of oral and maxillofacial surgeons at Niva Dental Specialists are experts at performing various surgical procedures to identify, manage and treat mouth diseases. 

Diseases That Can Affect Your Mouth

Within the practice of oral pathology, our specialists can diagnose and help with treating mouth disease varieties, including:

• Halitosis or chronic bad breath
• Canker and cold sores
• Leukoplakia, a condition that causes areas of excess cell growth in your intraoral tissues
• Oral thrush, a yeast infection that can cause white patches to appear on the tissues inside your mouth
• Cysts
• Complications with salivary glands that cause dry mouth
• Oral cancer

Being Aware of Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is the largest group of head and neck cancers and includes any cancer found on your lips, tongue, cheeks, gums, palate or back of the mouth. Early detection and treatment of oral cancer are essential for eliminating the disease and restoring your oral health. A delayed diagnosis can hinder the treatment and recovery process and make for a less successful outcome. 

Since the early stages of oral cancer are often difficult to detect, many patients are not aware anything is wrong. This is why routine dental cleanings and exams are of paramount importance. Some of the most common symptoms of oral cancer that you can look for are: 

• Sores that fail to heal 
• Unusual growths 
• Red or white patches in your mouth
• Trouble eating and swallowing
• A chronic sore throat or hoarseness in your voice

Diagnosing Oral Cancer

When abnormalities are found in your mouth, we can diagnose the cause. First, one of our specialists will conduct a visual examination and identify the characteristics of the abnormality in your mouth. This examination includes noting the color, shape and border of the abnormality, as well as taking X-rays or other images as needed. These images are essential for assessing the extent of the condition and determining if bones have been affected.

In some cases, a soft tissue biopsy may also be required. This procedure involves surgically removing a small portion of the abnormality so that we can examine it closely under a microscope. Microscopic study of the biopsied tissue allows us to determine the presence of precancerous or cancerous cells.

Treating Oral Cancer

After diagnosing the issue affecting your mouth, we can then formulate a treatment plan to restore your oral health. Based on your diagnosis, surgical management is often needed. Our oral surgeons can perform surgery to completely remove the abnormality or cancerous lesion from your mouth. To ensure that all of the disease is eliminated during the surgical process, our surgeon also may remove a portion of the tissue around the border of the abnormality. After treatment, a follow-up appointment allows us to ensure that we have effectively treated your oral cancer. 

With oral pathology, we can diagnose and effectively treat many different types of mouth diseases that can impact your oral health. If you’re looking for an oral pathologist near you, we are the perfect practice to meet your needs. 

A Different Approach to Oral Care

As a doctor-owned and operated multispecialty group practice, Niva Dental Specialists consists of oral surgeons, endodontists and periodontists who strive to educate the masses about dental specialty care and help empower patients to participate in their own oral health and protect against mouth disease. 

We also work extensively with community general dentist referrals and collaborate on our patients’ care through state-of-the-art technology and evidence-based practices. By having all our specialists in-house, we can effectively address all your oral care needs, including treating mouth diseases. 

Imagine having all your specialized smile needs met in one place with one extraordinary team of board-certified specialists tailoring your smile journey to fit you — no referral needed. And you’re always in charge of your smile. It’s a decidedly different way to do dentistry. Welcome to Niva! 

Search online for an “oral pathologist near me” for more information and to schedule your consultation with Niva Dental Specialists.