Oral Pathology

At our practice, our doctors are always examining patients for oral pathology, or cancerous growths in the mouth. While most people think they’ll never get cancer in the mouth – especially if they’ve never smoked, vaped, or used chewing tobacco – that’s simply not the case. Every year, over 50,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with oral pathology, and some of them are right here in our own backyard.

While some patients might be wondering what the signs of mouth cancer are, this is something a general dentist should be looking for at each routine visit. If they notice something unusual, they are likely to be referred to one of our surgeons.

What are the signs of oral cancer?

The inside of the mouth is normally lined with a special type of skin (mucosa) that is smooth and coral pink in color. Any alteration in this appearance could be a warning sign for a pathological process. The most serious of these is oral cancer. The following can be signs at the beginning of a pathologic process or cancerous growth:

Reddish patches (erythroplasia) in the mouth.
Whitish patches (leukoplakia) in the mouth.
A sore that fails to heal and bleeds easily.
A lump or thickening on the skin lining the inside of the mouth.
Chronic sore throat or hoarseness.
Difficulty in chewing or swallowing.

These changes can be detected on the lips, cheeks, palate, and gum tissue around the teeth, tongue, face and/or neck. Pain does not always occur with oral pathology, and curiously, is not often associated with oral cancer. However, patients with facial and/or oral pain without an obvious cause or reason may also be at risk for oral cancer.

Do I Need an Oral Pathology Examination?

We all know that we’re supposed to go to the dentist every 6 months. But a lot can happen during that time period in between visits. We recommend performing regular self-examinations for oral pathology monthly and remember that your mouth is one of your body’s most important warning systems. That’s why our doctors recommend that patients perform regular self-checks for oral pathology so they can make an appointment with us as soon as they notice that something’s not quite right. If you are experiencing any of the above signs of oral pathology, it’s time that you head to our office immediately to see our doctors. Additionally, if you have any unexplained pain in your jaw, mouth or cheeks, it’s definitely a sign that you should come to us for an oral pathology examination. Remember, we’re here to help you, and there’s nothing wrong with coming with us just to be safe. In fact, it’s always ideal to err on the side of caution!

Treatment of Oral Pathology

If our doctors suspect you have mouth cancer, it’s important that you have oral surgery immediately to remove or biopsy the growth. After all, prompt diagnosis is important to help prevent the potential cancer from spreading. If the biopsy proves the tissue was cancerous, you’ll require regular visits to ensure that it doesn’t come back, and if it does, that we can act fast and remove future growths.

Do not ignore suspicious lumps or sores. If you see any suspicious lumps or sores in your mouth, don’t wait and take immediate action to address your oral health. Trust us; when it comes to oral pathology, it’s better to err on the side of caution.

Prepare for your oral pathology examination by reading up on our patients’ most frequently asked questions!

MeeT

Our Experienced Doctors

Let us know

How We Can Help

Whether you want to schedule a consultation or have questions about a procedure, we’d love to hear from you! Please fill out the form below and we will be in contact shortly.

Best experience I have had with dentist / oral surgeon. Dr. Kostohryz did a phenomenal job helping my dad with his teeth extraction.

Benjamin B2021-12-30

I have the worst fear of doing anything with my teeth. Dr. k and his staff really knew how to make me feel comfortable and assured me that I was in the right hands. I had the best experience here and it definitely changed the way I dental treatment in the future. Thank you to the staff that were professional, punctual and so very kind. And a big thank you to Dr. K for taking such great care of me!! Highly recommend!!

Britney Singleton

I always have a hard time with dentists. I hate the tools and most of the time, I feel as if the staff is constantly judging me but the staff here is amazing! I came in today(they fit me in within 2 days) for wisdom tooth removal after an infection. My jaw had been shifted, couldn’t eat, constantly in pain but they put me to sleep, pulled the two teeth, and walked me out to my car. All done within 15 minutes. I’m in no pain at all and even got a checkup text from Dr. Scheideman. I still have two more wisdom teeth to be pulled so I will DEFINITELY be using them again!

addie turner

Initial interactions were professional and thorough, I had two extractions for implants. My bone structure was good so no need for a bone graft. Dr. ScheidimenExplained the process in simplistic terms. The whole process took about 30-40 minutes. Shawna, my nurse patiently answered all of my questions and concerns. This was a very positive procedure. I am grateful to the team.

Holly Witte2021-12-28

I have have one tooth at a time pulled.A good thing I wear a mask when in public. Not working now so I can have teeth pulled over period of time. I have been tramatized and spent fortune on root canals, caps etc over many years. I am now 72 and have receding gums, caps falling off etc. I think God for Dr. Scheidleman. He is brilliant and he CARES about his patients.He is patient and gentle. I feel confident and I am not scared. Five more to pull then implants. Thank you Dr. Scheidleman and God Bless. His office team also 😃👍 great.

Brenda Joy

No nonsense, get er done dentist office made ya feel like everything will be OK, and they were right. Good job to all of you thank you. I will use yall for all my dentist stuff.

Shawn

Dr. Kostohryz and all his staff are great Highly recommend! You'll be in great hands!

Marisa L.2022-03-31

Dr. Scheideman and his staff were fantastic! I had a wisdom tooth infection and horrible pain and my dentist referred me to FWOS. They were able to fit me in for a consult within 2 hours of my dentist calling, which was amazing. Yesterday I had all 4 wisdom teeth extracted. The nurse/tech (I think her name was Jennifer) was super friendly and confirmed all my information and put me at ease to prep me for surgery. Dr. Scheideman checked on me before we started and was very comforting. He even numbed the spot on my arm where the IV was placed so I literally felt no pain for the entire procedure. I woke up a little dizzy and numb but pain free. I was sent home with thorough instructions, pain medication, and aftercare supplies. Dr. Scheideman even texted me to check in on me the next day. I am shocked how little pain and swelling I've had, and I feel surprisingly good! Obviously I hope to never have oral surgery again but if I did I would run to FWOS. 10 of 10. Would recommend!

Lisa Deisinger2022-04-24

Dr. Kostohryz is wonderful. He is so kind and it's obvious that he genuinely cares about his patients. His entire team was great. From check in to check out the service was excellent. Highly recommend FWOS.

Jennifer Bonds2022-02-03

Would love to rate much much higher than 5 stars! From the second I was welcomed, I felt like family. Dr.Runyon and his staff, were more than accommodating to my needs. Got me in immediately (less than 24 hours) for wisdom teeth extraction. Dr. Runyon even called me the night of, during his personal time to check up on me. I had no swelling- and even went to work the next day! Thank you all for all of your hard work. It doesn’t go unnoticed. ♥️

Megan Swartz