Oral pathology and biopsies

Dr. Chad Curtis can perform a thorough examination and workup for any concerning lesions that another practitioner may have noticed.

A biopsy involves a small incision, which may remove either all or part of a lesion in question.

• A sore, white or red patch, or lump that has not gone away
• A dentist or physician asked for a biopsy
• A swelling in the jaw that may be a cyst

A biopsy is how a diagnosis is made. It is not a conclusion that the spot is dangerous. Most samples are not cancer.

The visit is an exam, sometimes with imaging. If a biopsy is recommended, it can often be done the same day with local anesthesia. A small stitch may be placed.

We will tell you roughly when the report should return. If a lesion is attached to a tooth that also needs to come out, the extraction and the sample can often be coordinated. Cysts around wisdom teeth are a frequent example.

Biopsy sites usually are sore for a few days after surgery. The feeling is similar to an ulcer, and if there are stitches, they will typically dissolve or fall out after about 5 days. Depending on the surgical location, Dr. Curtis may prescribe special mouthrinses or antibiotics.

The first week

• Day of the biopsy: the site is numb, then sore, like a small ulcer. Soft food. Avoid picking at stitches.
• Days 1–5: soreness should ease. Stitches often fall out or dissolve in about five days.
• When the report returns: Dr. Curtis calls and reviews it with you. That is often several business days, longer if the lab needs special stains.

When the report arrives, Dr. Curtis will call and review the results with you. Most intraoral lesions require no further follow up or surgery. If any other treatment is needed, Dr. Curtis will guide you through the process.

Call us if

• Bleeding does not slow
• Pain or swelling is worse after the first few days
• You have a fever, or the site looks more open than it did the day of the biopsy
• You have not heard about the report in the window you were given

A small biopsy in the office is not the same fee as a larger sample, imaging, or a later operation. The lab that reads the tissue may bill separately. You get an estimate after the exam, when it is clear what needs to be sampled.

What changes the fee is the work itself: whether grafting is needed, which anesthesia is used, the type of restoration your dentist will make, and whether new imaging is required. Dr. Curtis gives an estimate at the consultation, after the exam. This website does not list prices.

The office takes most PPO dental plans. The current in-network list is on patient info. Call (561) 833-6880 if you want to ask about a plan before you come in.