5 Anomalies Resolved By Oral And Maxillofacial Pathology

The mouth is an important part with many complex functions from ingesting food to talking. But it is also prone to several oral and dental complexities.

The specialty oral and maxillofacial pathology is associated with the diagnosis and study of the causes and effects of disorders affecting the oral and maxillofacial region.

    Some of the anomalies affecting this region are:

1.  Orofacial Clefts

Natural formation of the face and oral cavity involves the very complex development of multiple tissue processes and their fusion. Hindrances in the growth of these tissue processes may lead to the formation of orofacial clefts.

Cleft lips are formed by the defective fusion of the medial nasal process with the maxillary process.  On the other hand, cleft palates are a result of the failure of the fusion of palatal shelves.

Treatment of orofacial clefts is done by surgery; It often involves multiple primary and secondary procedures throughout childhood. Genetic counseling is an essential practice for the concerned patient as well as the family of the individual.

2.  Commissural Lip Pits

Commissural lip pits are can be defined as minute mucosal invaginations that are formed at the corner of the mouth. Failure of normal fusion of the embryonal maxillary and mandibular processes may be the cause.

Patients are often not aware of the presence of these pits and are usually discovered on routine examination. Commissural lip pits appear to be common in adults, where they have been reported in 12 to 20% of the population.

Usually, no treatment is required. In extremely rare cases though, salivary secretions may be excessive or secondary infection may occur, necessitating surgery.

3.  Double Lip

Double lip is an oral condition. Even though it can be acquired later in life, in most cases, it is congenital in nature.

It is relatively rare for both lips to be affected as more often than not, only the upper lip is affected. The excess fold of tissue is only visible when the patient smiles or when the lips are tensed.

In severe cases of a double lip, simple surgical excision of the excess tissue can be performed for aesthetic purposes.

4.  Macroglossia

Macroglossia is a rare condition characterized by an abnormally small tongue. Its cause is still unknown. In some instances, the entire tongue may be missing and is called diglossia.

The nature and severity of the condition determine the treatment of the patient. Surgery and orthodontics may be employed to improve oral function. Patients surprisingly have good speech development despite their condition, but it does depend on the tongue size. The causes for this abnormally may be congenital mal-formation or acquired diseases.

Children are more prone to macroglossia with the condition ranging from mild to severe. Macroglossia may be initially identified in babies by noisy breathing, drooling, and difficulty in eating. The condition may result in lisping speech.

Several treatments may be followed according to the depending on the cause and severity of this condition. Only speech therapy may be necessary in mild cases, but Dr. April Toyer, a renowned dentist in Woodbridge, suggests a reduction glossectomy procedure in severe cases.

5.  Fissured tongue

Another relatively common condition is fissured tongue. It is characterized by several grooves or fissures on the surface of the tongue. The definite cause is unknown, but heredity seems to play a major role. Development of this condition is also affected by aging or local environmental factors.

SEE ALSO: Dental Emergencies - Meaning, Causes, And Prevention

The grooves on the tongue range from 2 to 6 mm in depth, although considerable variation has been observed. The condition is largely asymptomatic, that is, showing no symptoms, but some patients may complain of mild burning or soreness. 

Most studies show 2 to 5% of the overall population affected by this condition. The prevalence and severity appear to increase with age, with almost 30% of older adults having this condition.

No specific treatment is indicated for this condition. The patient should practice good oral hygiene practices like cleaning and brushing the tongue as food and debris entrapped in the grooves may act as a source of irritation.

Many of these anomalies are congenital, and their causes are unknown, but oral and maxillofacial pathology helps us understand them to a great extent and provides answers to how we can treat them.