Oral Incisional Biopsy

A biopsy is often the only way to diagnose oral lesions and diseases and as with most procedures there is often more than one method of undertaking the surgery successfully.

Whatever the method used, however, the aim is to provide a suitably representative sample for the pathologist to interpret, while minimising perioperative discomfort for the patient.

An unsuitable,unrepresentative sample is of no use to the pathologist, clinician or most importantly the patient who would be ill served by anunnecessary repeat procedure.

Although most biopsies are performed in hospitals, a recent study has shown that many general dental practitioners felt able to perform biopsies but lacked some of the necessary skills.