Oral Pathology in Dallas
Effective detection and treatment of oral tissue problems
Oral pathology and the detection of diseases in the teeth and gums is a part of our services offered at Dallas Periodontal Associates. Dr. Ovadia and Dr. Tanur conduct a thorough oral tissue inspection as part of every new patient’s first exam and consultation to ensure good oral health. During the inspection they look for any tissue abnormalities that could be evidence of disease, including oral cancer. They take quick action on any detected problem to ensure your oral health is preserved.
They repeat these oral pathology inspections periodically for patients to ensure that anything that might have appeared since the last inspection is caught early and effectively treated.
Competent and experienced oral health detection skills
Our doctors have Masters degrees in oral biology as part of their overall training as periodontists, and both doctors have lectured on oral medicine and periodontal disease to students and colleagues in the U.S. and abroad. Dr. Tanur and Dr. Ovadia are both Diplomates of the American Board of Periodontology, a status earned by only 10% of periodontists.
Signs of oral cancer
The following are some signs of possible oral cancer:
- numbness in the oral region of the face
- hoarseness which has lasted a long time
- pain or difficulty swallowing, chewing or speaking
- unusual growths or lumps in your soft tissue or gums
- an ulcer that bleeds and has not healed for several weeks
- bluish-gray, white or red spots in your mouth that do not go away when rubbed
- a recent rapid shift of tooth position that has changed your bite
Oral Health Inspection procedure
The doctor conducts a visual and manual exploration of your head, neck and mouth to check for any lesions or other abnormalities in your tissues. If he spots any oral health problems or anything in your mouth that looks like it could be a sign of disease, including oral cancer, he will use the VELscope® oral cancer screening device to get a more detailed look at the tissue area.
The VELscope emits a safe blue light that illuminates healthy tissues in your mouth as one color, and tissues showing precancerous or cancerous cell changes as a darker color.
If the Velscope inspection shows evidence of oral pathology diseases or possible cancerous tissue, the doctor will remove a small sample of the suspect tissue with your permission, and send it to a biopsy lab for analysis.
Notification of biopsy results
The doctor will notify you of what was discovered in the biopsy immediately after the lab sends the results to our office. If the results show something non-threatening that we can treat in our office with topical gels, oral care products or a prescription, the doctor will determine the appropriate treatment and present you his recommendations.
Referral to a specialist if needed
If the results show the need of an outside specialist to treat what was discovered, Dr. Tanur or Dr. Ovadia will refer you to the appropriate specialist for any further treatment that is needed.
Follow-up inspections
Our doctors do a visual and tactile oral tissue inspection at the end of every hygiene appointment for patients receiving periodontal maintenance cleanings.
To request an appointment, call 214-377-0855 or fill out the online form.
$89 New Patient Exam Special Offer
A $249 Value!
- Comprehensive oral examination
- Full-mouth X-rays and 3D CT scan
- Oral cancer screening
- Consultation with the doctor
- Written treatment plan
To request an appointment, call 214-377-0855 or fill out the online form.