NJ Center for Oral Surgery

Oral Surgery

Caldwell, NJ

973-226-8444

Procedures

• Online Videos
• Dental Implants
• Wisdom Teeth
• Bone Grafting
• Coronectomy
• Teeth-in-an-Hour
• Facial Trauma
• Pre-prosthetic Surgery
• Oral Pathology
• TMJ Disorders
• Sleep Apnea

Oral Pathology

Your mouth is the first part of your digestive system and also first part of your respiratory system. The inside of the mouth is normally lined with a special type of skin (mucosa) that is smooth and coral pink in color. Any alteration in this appearance could be a warning sign for a pathological process. The most serious of these is oral cancer. The following can be signs at the beginning of a pathologic process or cancerous growth:

• Reddish patches (erythroplasia) or whitish patches (leukoplakia) in the mouth.
• A sore that fails to heal and bleeds easily.
• A lump or thickening on the skin lining the inside of the mouth.
• Chronic sore throat or hoarseness. Difficulty in chewing or swallowing.

These changes can be detected on the lips, cheeks, palate, and gum tissue around the teeth, tongue, face and/or neck. Pain does not always occur with pathology, and curiously, is not often associated with oral cancer. However, any patient with facial and/or oral pain without an obvious cause or reason may also be at risk for oral cancer.

The NJ Center for Oral Surgery recommends performing an oral cancer self-examination monthly and  having a dentist perform an oral exam no less than every six months.  Do not ignore suspicious lumps or sores. Please contact the NJ Center for Oral Surgery for any help.