[quote=Brian Hill]Two most common techniques are incisional or punch biopsy. The punch is a little 5mm cookie cutter that takes out a core, the other is just the guy taking a narrow v shaped slice out. For the most part these don't require stitch, but if they decide that the area is extensive, they may do several and that will take a stitch or two each to close up. There is a superficial brush collection system, much like a pap smear, but I am not a big fan of this for anything serious. Problem is that it gives you a mess of loose cells, not a core.... scrambled eggs. A pathologist needs to know the cells architecture - from which layer of tissue......

This is the page from the main OCF web site which goes into more detail

http://oralcancerfoundation.org/facts/detailed_biopsy.htm [/quote]

Ouch!