Colposcopy: a new ray in the diagnosis of oral lesions

Oral squamous cell carcinoma is the most common cancer of the oral cavity. The survival rates for oral cancer patients will significantly be improved provided lesions are detected and treated at the infancy stage. Early diagnosis is therefore of paramount importance. Histopathological examination is considered as the gold standard in diagnosing oral lesions. Therefore, the selection for a biopsy site is highly significant. In this article, we present a current review of the colposcope and oral application of the colposcopy technique and its use as an adjunct in the early diagnosis of premalignant and malignant lesions of the oral mucosa. We stress upon the fact that colposcopy (direct oral microscopy) of oral mucosal lesions helps in selecting more representative sites for biopsy than routine clinical examination alone. Because of its precision, versatility, ease of use, and being a non-invasive technique, colposcopy might prove to be a useful step toward continuing to learn and improve the care for our patients.