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To Boipsy Or Not To Biopsy
A month ago my dentist found 2 cysts just behind my bottom molars along the ridgeline. The cysts are described as flat, off-white patches of skin roughly 2-3 centimeters in diameter. They are located at almost the same spot; one on either side of my mouth. They are not painful. The dentist sent me to an oral surgeon at the University of Southern California Medical Center to have a biopsy done.
To be honest, the OR kind of freaked me out with his warning of potential loss of feeling and taste in my mouth just from the biopsy. When I asked him the reason for his concern, his answer was clumsy and blunt. He said he "thinks he remembers reading an article talking about a 15%...or 20%…err…20% to 25% chance of nerve damage from a biopsy procedure done in this location of the mouth” (the ridgeline). He said that OR's typically avoid this region of the mouth because of the risks. I opted not to have the biopsy done at that time rescheduled for 2/11/10. My dentist said the chances for nerve damage are similar to having wisdom teeth extracted.
Can anyone help me confirm the risk for this procedure? I am a 37 year old male and a pack a day smoker (12 years), which prompts the dentist and OR to want to do the biopsy. I was actively bulimic for 11 years, but stopped 3.5 years ago.
I appreciate any insights or leads.
To be honest, the OR kind of freaked me out with his warning of potential loss of feeling and taste in my mouth just from the biopsy. When I asked him the reason for his concern, his answer was clumsy and blunt. He said he "thinks he remembers reading an article talking about a 15%...or 20%…err…20% to 25% chance of nerve damage from a biopsy procedure done in this location of the mouth” (the ridgeline). He said that OR's typically avoid this region of the mouth because of the risks. I opted not to have the biopsy done at that time rescheduled for 2/11/10. My dentist said the chances for nerve damage are similar to having wisdom teeth extracted.
Can anyone help me confirm the risk for this procedure? I am a 37 year old male and a pack a day smoker (12 years), which prompts the dentist and OR to want to do the biopsy. I was actively bulimic for 11 years, but stopped 3.5 years ago.
I appreciate any insights or leads.
Your descriptions suggest that there is a radiolucent lesion, measuring 2-3 cm in greatest diameter within ramus of mandible. the risk of nerve injury from incisional biopsy procedure is probably not high, but risk of complete removal of the lesion may be high. Without surgical intervention, spontaneous resolution of lesion is highly unlikely.
Thank you for addressing my questions. I appreciate your feedback.
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