Oral pathology is concerned with the assessment, diagnosis and management of diseases of the lips, mouth or jaws. Diseases may present solely in the mouth, or conditions that you have elsewhere in your body can present in your mouth. To help reach a diagnosis and managment plan, a thorough history, examination and assessment will need to be completed. Often, additional tests including further radiographic imaging, blood tests or a biopsy may be needed.

A biopsy is a medical test commonly performed by a health practitioner that involves removing a small sample of the tissue for examination by a Pathologist to determine the presence or extent of a disease. The Pathologist will use particular chemical tests and look at the sample under a microscope to finalise their diagnosis. They will then write a report and return this to your health practitioner who will discuss the Pathologist’s findings. On-referral to other specialists such as Oral Medicine, Maxillo-Facial, ENT, or Head and Neck Surgeons may be necessary.