Have you come across a bump on your lip that won't go away or will from time to time go larger or smaller? There is a high likelihood that it might in fact be a mucocele, which is a harmless albeit unsightly blockage of salivary glands that forms a large boil like bump on the lips or mucosa. A mucocele often forms due to some type of traumatic event such as a sports injury or biting of the lip. Again, it is important to note that the are completely harmless and can easily be surgically removed.
The surgery is usually fast, and effective, however since the cause of these lesions is due to some type of traumatic event, they can return. Unfortunately there is no way of knowing whether it will return or not prior to the surgery.
Removal of the lesion requires local anesthetic being applied, and excision of the lesion. Removal of a typical mucocele usually takes around 25 minutes. It is always best to send the lesion to a laboratory to confirm that it is in fact a mucocele. A pathology report is returned to your dentist or oral surgeon and he or she can confirm the results with you. For more information, feel free to contact our office for an evaluation.
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