EARLY DETECTION IS KEY TO SURVIVING ORAL CANCER

ADVANCED ORAL CANCER SCREENING & EXAMS IN BOULDER, CO

Boulder Cosmetic Dentist, Dr. David Evans, and his team have been creating beautiful smiles for their patients for years, but their commitment to their oral health remains the top priority. According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, one person every hour of every day dies of oral cancer in the United States. However, if oral cancer symptoms are detected early, the survival rate is nearly 90%. (1)

Our office uses the VELscope Plus Oral Cancer Screening System for discovering cancerous and precancerous growths that may not be apparent to the naked eye. We can screen for oral cancer in two to three minutes during a dental hygiene and exam appointment. The procedure is completely pain-free! In addition, while the oral cancer procedure is affordable, a growing number of insurance companies are beginning to cover the cost oral of screenings & exams.

HOW ORAL CANCER SCREENINGS & EXAMS WORKS

Dr. Evans or hygienist performs an examination with the VELscope after they have performed the comprehensive oral exam to try and find anything that they might have missed with the regular exam.  The VELscope emits specific wavelengths of blue spectrum light into your mouth to stimulate natural tissue fluorescence which can be viewed directly through the VELscope.  Research has shown that the VELscope can help find abnormal tissue that might have unnoticed by the naked eye.

If there is something unusual that needs further investigation, don’t panic, it doesn’t mean that you have oral cancer!  There are all sorts of conditions that can lead to abnormalities in your oral mucosa and most of them are unrelated to oral cancer.  Some of them will go away on their own and some may require some sort of action to resolve. If abnormal tissue is detected, Dr.Evans will do a simple biopsy in the office and send the sample to the lab for testing. He may also elect to refer the patient to their physician or other diagnostic facility for further oral exams & testing. The early detection of mouth cancer can be the difference between life and death.

Dr. David Evans explains that study’s show oral cancer is typically discovered in the late stages of development when the five-year survival rate is only 22%: (2) “By detecting potential problems earlier, we can provide our patients with the best defense against oral cancer currently available.” Contact our Boulder, CO office to learn more about our oral cancer screening procedure or to schedule an exam today.

(1)(2) Oral Cancer Facts 2010: http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/facts/