Tissue Samples - Biopsies

Common Disorders and Changes

The most frequent change to be clarified in our practice is leukoplakia (Figure 1 below). It is a non-wipeable whitish thickening of the oral mucosa. The more pronounced and irregular this change is, the more likely it is to turn malignant. In this case, early clarification is essential in order to determine the further treatment plan.

Fig.1 Leukoplakia in the oral cavity of a patient.

Typical Procedure

First, a photo documentation is made to record the initial situation. Subsequently, a tissue sample (biopsy) is taken under local anesthesia.

Here, the change is surgically removed either in its entirety or only partially and sent to the pathologist for fine tissue examination. After a few days, we receive the findings, which are sent to the patient in the course of follow-up treatment.

Similarly, when cysts and other unclear changes are removed, the material is routinely sent to the pathologist for definitive diagnosis.