VELSCOPE– ORAL CANCER SCREENING
Oral Cancer Screening is a way to detect oral cancer in early stages. Langley Family Dental believes strongly that detecting oral abnormalities early leads to more treatment options, potentially less invasive or radical
VELSCOPE– ORAL CANCER SCREENING
Oral Cancer Screening is a way to detect oral cancer in early stages. Langley Family Dental believes strongly that detecting oral abnormalities early leads to more treatment options, potentially less invasive or radical treatments and better patient outcomes.
Our dental hygienists play a crucial role in early detection of oral cancer and will scan you at each routine check-up.
During your routine hygiene appointment your dental hygienist will perform an examination of your mouth, neck and head for any abnormalities in these areas. Your hygienist will look for swelling, enlarged glands, ulcers and changes in texture inside of your mouth.
Your dental hygienist will also do an external examination of your head, face and the back of your neck for any issues. To help support your oral and overall health, ensure to book a dental hygiene appointment once every six months.
One of the most frequent and deadly types of cancer is oral cancer. LED Dental has developed a device that has proven extremely effective in detecting oral cancer at its beginning stages. This device is known as the VELscope. It uses a hand piece that shines a blue light into a patient’s oral cavity. Abnormal tissue growth appears as a dark spot, with the surrounding healthy tissue appearing fluorescent.
Previously, diagnosis of oral abnormalities was done by the unassisted eye of a dental professional. While this was the most effective way of diagnosing a patient’s condition, it was grossly ineffective in detecting oral cancer at its earliest stages. Without giving every patient who came into an office a biopsy, most patients with oral cancer were not diagnosed until the later stages