Oral and maxillofacial pathology (also termed
oral pathology,
stomatognathic disease,
dental disease, or
mouth disease) refers to the diseases of the
mouth ("oral cavity" or "stoma"),
jaws ("maxillae" or "gnath") and related structures such as
salivary glands,
temporomandibular joints,
facial muscles and perioral skin (the skin around the mouth). The mouth is an important organ with many different functions. It is also prone to a variety of medical and dental disorders.