VELscope

Did you know?...

- Oral cancer kills one person every hour of every day in North America
- Oral cancer has three times as many victims as cervical cancer
- You are at an increased risk of developing oral cancer if you smoke, drink alcohol, and/or are over 40
- However, increasingly oral cancer is striking younger adults not because of tobacco or alcohol abuse, but from the sexually-transmitted human papilloma virus (HPV)
- Nearly half of oral cancer patients are expected to die within 5 years of diagnosis, but it is 80 to 90% survivable if diagnosed early
- Unfortunately, only 35% of oral cancer cases are diagnosed in the early stages
- Fortunately, VELscope can help your dentist detect oral mucosal abnormalities that may not be visible or apparent to the naked eye, such as oral cancer or pre- malignant dysplasia

The VELscope procedure is quick, painless, and it may save your life!

VELscope is comprised of a light source, light guide and viewing handpiece. The VELscope handpiece emits a safe, visible, blue light into the oral cavity, which excites mucosal tissue and causes it to fluoresce. The clinician can examine the oral cavity in real time and quickly identify suspicious tissue that may require further investigation.

Typically, healthy tissue shows up as a brighter green color while suspicious tissue can cause a loss of fluorescence, which thus appears dark. When used in combination with traditional oral mucosal examination procedures, VELscope facilitates the discovery and enhances the visualization of mucosal abnormalities.