A painkiller is sprayed into the mouth in the area of the abnormal gum tissue. You may also have an injection of numbing medicine. A small piece of gum tissue is removed and checked for problems in the lab. Sometimes stitches are used to close the opening created for the biopsy.

You may be told not to eat for a few hours before the biopsy.

The painkiller put in your mouth should numb the area during the procedure. You may feel some tugging or pressure. If there is bleeding, the blood vessels may be sealed off with an electric current or laser. This is called electrocauterization. After the numbness wears off, the area may be sore for a few days.

This test is done to look for the cause of abnormal gum tissue.

This test is only done when gum tissue looks abnormal.

Abnormal results may indicate:

• Amyloidosis

  Amyloidosis

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• Noncancerous mouth sores (the specific cause can be determined in many cases)

  Mouth sores

  There are different types of mouth sores. They can occur anywhere in the mouth including bottom of the mouth, inner cheeks, gums, lips, and tongue....

  

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• Oral cancer (for example, squamous cell carcinoma)

  Oral cancer

  Oral cancer is cancer that starts in the mouth.

  

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  Squamous cell carcinoma

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Risks for this procedure include:

• Bleeding from the biopsy site
• Infection of the gums
• Soreness

Avoid brushing the area where the biopsy was performed for 1 week. You may be given a mouthwash to keep the area clean for a week after the procedure.