Many oral lesions may need to be diagnosed by removing a sample of tissue from the oral cavity. Biopsy is widely used in the medical field, but the practice is not quite widespread in dental practice. As oral pathologists, we have found many artifacts in the tissue specimen because of poor biopsy technique or handling, which has led to diagnostic pitfalls and misery to both the patient and the clinician. This article aims at alerting the clinicians about the clinical faults arising preoperatively, intraoperatively and postoperatively while dealing with oral biopsy that may affect the histological assessment of the tissue and, therefore, the diagnosis. It also reviews the different techniques, precautions and special considerations necessary for specific lesions.

Clear cell hidradenoma (CCH) is a benign tumor of skin appendage. This lesion is commonly seen on the head, face, extremities and rarely in the oral cavity. The clinical appearance of this lesion is not specific and differential diagnosis from other lesions, both benign and malignant, can only be made after complete removal of the lesion. Histopathology of these lesions is often confused with tumors of salivary glands because of their striking resemblance. In this case of oral CCH, histopathology was an important aid in the diagnosis and hence, CCH should be considered in the differential diagnosis of lesions of the oral cavity.

Myoepithelioma, once considered to be a type of pleomorphic adenoma, is a rare benign tumor of the salivary glands. This uncommon tumor is most commonly diagnosed in the parotid gland and in the minor salivary glands of the palate. We report a case of myoepithelioma located at the base of tongue, a rare site, in a 48-year-old male, composed of spindle shaped myoepithelial cells.

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