VelScope--FOR EARLY CANCER DETECTION...and the most important 60 seconds of your dental visit

WE are very proud of being able to provide our patients with the best that modern technology has to offer. One of the newest and most important pieces of technology is the VelScope, which allows us to screen for dangerous lesions in your mouth. We perform an Oral Cancer Screening as part of every New Patient experience, as well as EVERY time you visit our dental hygienist. The examination is simple and painless, and involves the use of a light in a certain visible spectrum that shows abnormal mouth tissues differently from healthy tissue. With the use of the VelScope, dangerous areas which are invisible to the naked eye can be seen.

Every hour of every day in America someone dies of Oral Cancer. Oral Cancer is the sixth most common diagnosed form of cancer in the United States. Presently 30,000 patients are diagnosed annually with oral cancer. The 5-year survival rate is only 50%, accounting for 8,000 deaths each year. Oral Cancer risk factors include tobacco use, frequent and/or excessive alcohol consumption, a compromised immune system, past history of cancer, and the presence of the HPV virus. Recently however 25% of all newly diagnosed cases have been in patients under the age of forty with none of the known risk factors. Oral Cancer is one of the few cancers whose survival rate has not improved in the past 50 years. This is due primarily to the fact that during this time dentistry not changed the way we screen for this disease (a visual and manual examination of the oral cavity, head, and neck).

EARLY DETECTION IS KEY

Historically, it has been difficult to determine which abnormal tissues in the mouth are worthy of concern. The fact is, the average person routinely has conditions existing in their mouths that mimic the appearance of pre-cancerous changes, and very early cancers of the soft tissues. One study determined that the average dentist sees 3-5 patients a day who exhibit soft tissue abnormalities, most of which are benign in nature. Even the simplest things, such as a canker sore (herpes simplex), the wound left by accidentally biting the inside of your cheek, or sore spots from a poorly fitting prosthetic appliance or denture, all at first examination, share similarities with dangerous lesions. Some of these conditions cause physical discomfort, others are painless. The question is which ones deserve action, and which ones bear watching and waiting?

There has been a tendency to watch these areas over an extended period to determine if they are dangerous or not. Unfortunately, this philosophy leads to a situation in which a dangerous lesion may continue to prosper and grow into a later stage, hard to cure cancer. Any sore, discoloration, induration, prominent tissue, irritation, hoarseness, which does not resolve within a two week period on its own, with or without treatment, should be considered suspect and worthy of further examination or referral. Besides a routine visit to the dental office for regular examinations, it is the patient's responsibility to be aware of changes in their oral environment. When these changes occur, they need to be brought to the attention of a qualified dental professional for examination. With VelScope, we are able to screen those lesions that are of concern and take appropriate actions quickly.