Oral Medicine & Radiology

The Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology provides comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, imaging, and medical management of oral and maxillofacial conditions. With dedicated clinical, diagnostic, imaging, and tobacco cessation services, the department provides patients with accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment planning.

Introduction

Oral Medicine and Radiology

The Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology is the first department where patients report after registration. The department provides comprehensive diagnosis, oral medicine, and dental and maxillofacial imaging services.

The Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology is divided into three main sections:

Section of Oral Diagnosis
Section of Oral and Maxillofacial Imaging
Section of Oral Medicine

In addition, the department also runs a dedicated Tobacco Cessation Centre for patients who wish to quit tobacco and other deleterious habits.

Section of Oral Diagnosis

After registration with the Medical Records Department (MRD), patients are referred to the Section of Oral Diagnosis.

A detailed evaluation of the patient is carried out, including:

Chief complaint
Detailed medical and dental history
Clinical examination
Provisional diagnosis of oral and dental problems

Depending on the diagnosis and the need for further investigations, patients are referred to the appropriate section or department for further treatment and management.

Section of Oral and Maxillofacial Imaging

The Section of Oral and Maxillofacial Imaging provides various dental and maxillofacial imaging services for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.

All imaging units are registered with the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and undergo regular quality assurance evaluations to ensure the quality of imaging services.

All recommended procedures and techniques are followed during imaging to ensure that the principle of ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) is adhered to at all times.

The section is equipped with:

Digital intraoral imaging systems
Digital OPG
Digital film printer
State-of-the-art CBCT system
CBCT with face scan option

These facilities enhance the diagnostic and imaging capabilities of the department and help in accurate evaluation of various dental and maxillofacial conditions.

Section of Oral Medicine

The Section of Oral Medicine provides evaluation, diagnosis and management of patients with various oral mucosal lesions and conditions.

Patients with the following conditions are evaluated and managed:

Potentially malignant oral lesions and conditions
Oral mucosal lesions and conditions
Abnormal oral complaints
Difficult-to-diagnose oral conditions
Salivary gland pathologies
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pathologies

The section is equipped with basic diagnostic equipment such as pulp testers, along with advanced diagnostic and therapeutic equipment.

The facilities include:

VELscope – for advanced oral cancer detection
TENS – Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
Therapeutic Ultrasound
Laser equipment

These advanced facilities support the diagnosis and management of various oral conditions.

Tobacco Cessation Centre

In addition to the three main sections, the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology runs a dedicated Tobacco Intervention Initiative (TII) Centre.

Patients reporting to the Institute with deleterious habits, including the use of smoked or smokeless forms of tobacco, are counselled at the Tobacco Cessation Centre.

Patients are educated about the harmful effects of tobacco and encouraged to quit the habit. Various audio-visual aids, including educational videos and charts, are used to increase awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco and its impact on oral health.

The Tobacco Cessation Centre is recognized by the Indian Dental Association (IDA) for the Government of India NOCR Project (National Oral Cancer Registry).

Scope of Services

The Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology provides diagnostic, imaging, oral medicine and tobacco cessation services.

Department of Oral Medicine offers treatments for various oral mucosal lesions like Leukoplakia, Oral Submucous Fibrosis, Oral Lichen Planus, Candidiasis, Fibromas etc.