Soft tissue oral surgery encompasses a large percentage of surgeries performed by a dentist on a day to day basis. It includes everything from the surgical removal of hyperplastic tissue to enucleation of cysts. Every dentist who performs surgical procedures on a routine basis should be familiar with this aspect and category of oral surgery and be prepared to perform it as the need arises.

There are numerous textbooks written that describe soft tissue surgery but the vast majority of them are complicated and written primarily for the specialist. Many of these elaborate texts ignore the everyday routine surgical procedures, and instead concentrate on major surgical techniques that are of no interest or clinical value to the general dentist.

The technique for the removal of a soft tissue Fibroma on the oral mucosa of the right cheek is a simple but effective procedure that will appeal to the general dentist. It requires very few instruments and can be performed easily in the dental office. I encourage my fellow dental colleagues to study the following procedure and to utilize it when presented with a similar case.

I would also point out that any tumor of this nature that is present in a patient who is to undergo fabrication of dentures, operative dentistry, crown and bridge and implants, be performed first. This will eliminate the possibility of the fibroma interfering in any way with the proper fit of a denture, bridge, fillings and implants. Manipulation of prosthetic material may traumatize existing tumors or excess tissue and cause additional problems such as excess bleeding, ulceration and infection. It is important for those involved in all dental procedures, such as the dentist, dental technologist, denture therapist and dental hygienist to recognize that surgical tumors should be attended to first before other work is accomplished.