The aim of surgery for mouth cancer is to remove any affected tissue while minimising damage to the rest of the mouth. If the cancer is advanced, it may be necessary to remove part of your mouth lining and, in some cases, facial skin.

What kind of surgery is done for mouth cancer?

Maxillectomy is a surgery to remove bones that make up the hard palate (the bony front part of the roof of the mouth) or the nasal sinuses. It is most commonly recommended for mouth cancers that begin in the hard palate or the upper gums.

The space in the roof of the mouth that this operation creates can be addressed with either reconstructive surgery or a custom-fit obturator. Our team of head and surgeons, plastic surgeons, and maxillofacial prosthodontists collaborate closely to help patients decide which option is best for them, enabling them to speak and eat normally.

  • Types of surgery

    There are different types of surgery for mouth and oropharyngeal cancer. The type you have depends on the size of your cancer and where it is. Your surgeon removes your cancer and a border (margin) of normal tissue around it. You might also need surgery to your:

  • jawbone or the roof of your mouth (hard palate)
  • tongue
  • voice box (larynx)
  • neck, to remove lymph nodes