Oral Pathology
Oral Pathology (Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology/Head Neck Pathology) is a specialized field of pathology dealing with the diseases of oral cavity and its associated structures (i.e. teeth, tongue; bony tissue (maxilla and mandible); joint (Temporo-mandibular joint, TMJ); lymph nodes; nerves; structures in neck; and blood vessels of the ear, nose, and throat (pharynx and larynx). The qualified doctors of this domain are called ‘Oral and Maxillofacial Pathologists’, or simply ‘Oral Pathologists’. Therefore, Oral Pathologists are medical/dental experts who can diagnose and treat these diseases of oral and maxillofacial region. Oral Pathology is not only a branch of dentistry but also of pathology and in turn, related to medicine. Now-a-days, majority of leading killer diseases including diabetes mellitus, herpes, cardiac disorders, cancers, and HIV infection etc. affect, enhance, or spread through the lesions of oral cavity. It is a well-known fact that the prevalence of oral cancer along with other head and neck pathologies is very high in India. According to statistics, oral cancer is the 3 rd most common cancer and accounts for 30% of all malignancies in India. Also, head and neck pathologies constitute 30% to 40% of all the cases arising for cytopathology and histopathology in any diagnostic laboratory on routine basis in all forms.