They might work with small mouth biopsies or large surgical specimens like hemimaxillectomy (the entire removal of one side of the upper jaw) or dissections of bone, tongue or larynx. Since
oral diseases can also signpost to other serious
health problems – for example, gum disease has been linked to likelihood of bowel cancer,
heart disease or
stroke – these pathologists often have to draw on a broad understanding of both
oral health and whole-body disease. A substantial portion of oral and maxillofacial pathologists’ work is focused on diagnosing cancers of the head and neck, the eighth most common type of
cancer in the UK.Oral and maxillofacial pathologists do dissect specimens and report on cases for other doctors. Yet there are also many opportunities to get involved in research, from developing treatments for head and neck
cancer to investigating the genetic causes of developmental diseases.
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