If you’ve noticed a persistent sore patch, ulcer, or lump in your mouth, your dentist may recommend an oral biopsy. This simple procedure involves taking a small sample of tissue from the affected area for examination, helping to identify the root cause of the problem. While most cases turn out to be harmless, an oral biopsy is an important step in ruling out more serious conditions.
Acting promptly allows any issues to be tackled early, when treatment is most effective. Frustratingly, though, an NHS referral can often mean a lengthy waiting time. Here at The Bristol Dental Practice, we offer a faster and more convenient alternative, with our in-house intra-oral biopsy and histology service.
Why might you need an oral biopsy?
An oral biopsy is a specialist service for diagnosing oral diseases. Often, a biopsy is enough to set minds at rest, but it’s also an important step in ruling out issues like infection, or more serious conditions such as oral cancer or precancerous changes.
Dentists will usually recommend an oral biopsy if they’ve noticed a lesion or irregularity in your mouth. Concerns might include:
- Bleeding lesions or sores;
- Gum ulcers;
- Discoloration or abnormal swelling of the gums;
- Lumps inside the mouth;
- A chronic sore throat;
- Difficulty swallowing.
In this situation, carrying out a biopsy as soon as possible can make a big difference to your health and peace of mind. And of course, attending regular dental check-ups is a key factor in spotting issues in their early stages.
Oral biopsy waiting times in Bristol
We always recommend getting any oral health concerns checked out as quickly as possible – the sooner you can get a clear answer, the better. An early diagnosis means any treatment can start right away, often before the problem has a chance to get worse.
Waiting a long time for a referral can be stressful, and frustrating. Delays can also mean that if there is something that needs treating, it might become more complicated over time. The current waiting time with the NHS in Bristol is at least five months, meaning patients can be left with both worry and discomfort during this period. By booking a biopsy on your own terms, you can be seen quickly, get answers sooner, and put your mind at rest.
Biopsies at The Bristol Dental Practice
Our team includes specialist oral surgeons, meaning we’re able to offer oral biopsies as part of our in-house dental services. In many cases, we can even perform a consultation and biopsy on the same day. Everything is carried out on-site by our experienced team, which means you won’t have to join lengthy NHS waiting lists or travel elsewhere for treatment.
We’re able to accept referrals from other practices, as well as self-referrals – placing the power to act in your own hands.
What happens at an oral biopsy?
If we think you need an oral biopsy, we’ll arrange an initial consultation. This allows us to take a look at the area, talk through the procedure, and decide on the best biopsy approach for your case. If we can perform the procedure straight away, we will.
The biopsy itself is quick and straightforward – taking just 15 to 20 minutes – and is carried out under local anaesthetic to keep you completely comfortable. If you feel anxious about dental treatment, we also offer conscious sedation to help you relax.
Most biopsies are relatively small. They may target an area of soft tissue, such as your gum, lips or tongue, or they may be taken from hard tissue areas like the jawbone. When the area is anaesthetised, we’ll remove either the whole lesion or a sample from it, before closing the area with dissolving stitches (if needed).
Next steps and results
Because most biopsies are minimally invasive, you should be able to return to your usual activities quite quickly. However, if you’ve been given stitches, try to avoid targeting the area with a toothbrush for around a week after the procedure.
In the meantime, our team will send your tissue sample to a hospital-based pathologist for analysis. From here, it takes one to two weeks for us to receive their report. We’ll then invite you back to the practice, or book a phone consultation, for a post-biopsy appointment. This means we can talk through the findings with you, and begin to develop a treatment plan if one is needed.
Whether the results show that everything is fine or that you need further care, you’ll have clear answers and a better picture of exactly what’s going on.
How to arrange an oral biopsy
Your time and convenience are important – nobody wants to wait months for a procedure that could be completed with ease. Our expert oral surgeons have years of experience in handling biopsies, so you’ll be in safe hands from your very first contact with us.
If you’ve been told you need an oral biopsy, or you’re worried about a dental issue, you can refer yourself as a patient. Alternatively, you can get in touch for an initial chat with a member of our team. They’ll be perfectly placed to offer more information and help get things moving.