Smile Savers Dentistry Offers VELscope Vx Enhanced Oral Assessment System For Oral Cancer Screenings

COLUMBIA, Md. - Dec. 9, 2016 - PRLog -- Smile Savers Dentistry now offers cancer screening in their Columbia, MD office with the VELscope® Vx as part of a routine dental hygiene cleaning and exam. VELscope® Vx is a sophisticated technology that helps dentists find diseased tissue deep below the surface, long before it's visible to the naked eye. The VELscope® Vx is one of the newest methods of detecting cancerous and precancerous growth. And if caught early, there's an 80 percent chance of curing the disease.

It's a staggering number, over 48,000 Americans will be diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer by the end of this year. Worldwide the problem is even greater, with over 450,000 new cases being discovered each year. Unfortunately oral cancer, in its early stages, may not even be noticed by the patient. The physical symptoms are not always obvious and its often painless. This makes this disease all the more dangerous because it is usually not detected until it's quite advanced. When oral cancer is discovered late in its development, the survival rate is usually quite low, according to the Oral Cancer Foundation.

When discovered early, the 5-year survival rate for oral cancer patients is about 83%. While the VELscope® Vx does not diagnose cancer, it alerts us to areas of concern earlier than ever before. During the exam, the award-winning VELscope® Vx uses a harmless blue light that is absorbed by the molecules in your mouth. The exam is quick (about two minutes), safe and painless. If a suspicious area is found during the exam, Dr. Daniel Stewart will discuss the next steps. And if a VELscope® Vx exam shows normal, healthy tissue, it can instantly give a patient peace of mind.

At Smile Savers Dentistry, the doctors and staff care about your oral health and are dedicated to providing high-quality, personalized patient care using the latest technology to the Howard County community. VELscope® Vx is one more way that they continue to give the best care possible. Call the office at 410-730-6460 to schedule an appointment today. Visit them online at http://www.smilesaversdentistry.com.

Sources: VELscop, Oral Cancer Foundation, Dentistry IQ