We save lives by detecting oral cancer early. Early detection can make a huge difference. At Bucks County Smiles, we use advanced VELscope® screening technology to detect and prevent oral cancer. Call (267) 365-3004 for a complimentary cancer screening today.
Our Bucks County practice has utilized a state-of-the-art device called the VELscope® Oral Cancer Screening System for many years. Along with our conventional oral screening exam, which includes looking inside your mouth for any lesions that might be visible to the naked eye and feeling your neck for any suspicious bumps, we can use the VELscope® to detect changes beneath the surface that are less visible under regular light.
Smoking, drinking, and using chewing tobacco increase the risk of oral cancers. Additionally, the human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for an increase in oral cancer cases. With oral cancer on the rise, this screening is one of the most important components of your dental exam. Our dentists have saved lives by detecting early cancerous lesions.
The VELscope® is the first device approved by the FDA to help dentists identify potentially precancerous and cancerous lesions that cannot be seen by the naked eye alone. It uses tissue fluorescence to unveil the potential lesions.
Tissue fluorescence refers to the unique property of human tissue to reflect a different colored light back when a certain type of light is shone on it. This happens due to a process of molecular excitation from the special VELscope® light that works on “fluorophores” in mucosal tissues.
The special VELscope® light also increases the contrast between healthy and potentially unhealthy or abnormal tissue to make problems easier to identify.
VELscope® cannot be used on its own to diagnose oral cancer. If a potentially cancerous lesion is discovered, a biopsy (tissue sample) is taken and then sent out to a lab for a definitive analysis.
Sometimes the VELscope® light will uncover a lesion that is determined to be non-cancerous through a lab biopsy. This is not a “false positive” as the VELscope® is not designed to diagnose cancer definitively, but rather, a negative for cancer tells us that something else is going on with the mouth. Such lesions can be benign or indicate a viral or fungal infection.
If any non-cancerous lesions are found, we can also use other diagnostics tools such as salivary testing to see what might be going on in the mouth. We may also work with your primary care physician if evidence of a viral or fungal infection is found.
The VELscope® Oral Cancer Screening System is completely safe. It does not use any radiation to perform the screening. A blue LED (light-emitting diode) light is used to examine the oral cavity. We give our patients protective eyewear when using this bright light.
We routinely screen all our patients for oral cancer, no matter what their age. This screening happens at every dental exam. VELscope® is simply part of our regular arsenal of tools we use at Bucks County Smiles to ensure the oral health of you and your family. There is no extra charge for this life-saving service. We want you and your family to be safe and healthy. Contact us now for a complimentary oral cancer screening.
If you need an oral cancer screening in Yardley, PA, contact Bucks County Smile for an appointment at (267) 365-3004.
