#Dental code soft tissue biopsy series#

If there is any suggestion of fluctuance, the possibility of fluid or pus should be considered and confirmed with bimanual palpation (if large enough) or transillumination. As an aide-memoire these can be remembered as beginning with six letter S's and two letter C's: On examining and palpating any lesion its features should be recorded.

#Dental code soft tissue biopsy series#

Some lesions have characteristic clinical features but in most cases a surgical biopsy is required to confirm the diagnosis, exclude alternatives and plan treatment (see 'Biopsy techniques' in Part 3 of this series or on page 49 of the BDJ Clinical Guide). True intrabony lesions tend to present as radiolucent or radio-opaque areas on radiographs, or occasionally a combination of the two, depending on the actual cause.

Some mucosal lesions can produce changes in the underlying bone, usually of an inflammatory nature, which may be evident on radiographic examination. boxed-textД«enign lesions present in a variety of ways, which may include: In the developing world, however, 'benign' lesions can cause horrendous problems as they may grow to an enormous size вЂ“ displacing other structures and even slowly suffocating untreated patients. In most cases they are slow growing and, in the developed world, rarely cause anything other than minor irritation. They may present as soft tissue, intrabony or composite lesions and affect a variety of tissue structures. Benign lesions are usually clearly demarcated but some may have diffuse margins with no tendency to undergo malignant change.