Oral medicine / Pathology

Oral Medicine and pathology is the discipline that deals with the non-surgical diseases of the mouth and the associated structures. The role of Dr Younessi in the context of these diseases is thus supportive. Once a diagnosis is suspected an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon is asked to perform a biopsy to clench the diagnosis. Naturally this is indispensible with for appropriate management of the disease.

What is a biopsy?

A biopsy is the surgical removal of a piece of the abnormal tissue (Incisional Biopsy) or the abnormal tissue in its entirety (Excisional Biopsy).

The material so procured is sent to a pathologist for examination under a microscope.

Dr Younessi then uses the information supplied by the Pathologist to determine the nature of the disease and then will work in concert with your other doctors to manage the disease.

This is why it is important for you to report any unusual findings to your doctor or dentist.

A biopsy is not always necessary and some diseases are so typical that the diagnosis can be made with a fair degree of certainty merely by its signs and symptoms. Early diagnosis is typically very helpful, so please do not hesitate to report abnormalities.

Abnormal tissue may include any growths, swellings, lumps, non-healing sores in the mouth, skin changes in colour or texture, or anything that does not look or feel “right”.