In medical practice, a biopsy is simply the removal of a tissue sample to determine if it is diseased. In dentistry, teeth, soft tissue and bone may be sent to a lab for microscopic examination . This examination provides identification of possible pathology, and appropriate therapy may then be instituted. In dentistry, identifying or ruling out oral cancer is of particular importance, as dentists are often the first health care providers to observe and identify this disease in its early stages.

If you have unexplained lesions in your mouth, they need to be examined by a dentist. They may or may not be cancerous, but they need medical attention nonetheless.