VELscope a Crucial Part of Oral Cancer Screenings Offered by Ressler, Hirschl & Lelchuk, DDS, PA

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - Dec. 27, 2016 - PRLog -- Ressler, Hirschl & Lelchuk, DDS, PA

Miami Beach, FL (305) 532-1444

N. Miami Beach, FL (305) 949-2630

www.miami-dental.com


VELscope a Crucial Part of Oral Cancer Screenings Offered by Ressler, Hirschl & Lelchuk, DDS, PA

Among older patients, oral cancer is one of the most dangerous diseases dentists routinely test for. The entire head, neck, and chest could be affected by it, and cancers of the mouth, tongue, and throat are all grouped under the term "oral cancer." The average age at which cancers in this group are first diagnosed is 52, and as part of their examinations of at-risk patients, Drs. Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk use the VELscope, one of the most advanced and highly-rated tools in dentistry.

The special light in VELscope devices operate on a principle called tissue fluorescence. Mouth tissue naturally contains a compound called fluorophore, which emits fluorescent light in response to the wavelengths which make up the blue light from the VELscope. This response is harmless and no special preparation is necessary for it, but if the tissue fails to emit the expected light, it could be a sign that tissue deep beneath the surface is unhealthy.

The VELscope scan is done as a means of detecting oral cancer, but there are other things which could cause unusual fluorescence patterns. For further examination, the doctors will scrape away a sample of tissue in a procedure called a biopsy. Sometimes, the scraping may require anesthesia, but usually, it can be done simply with a brush. If oral cancer is confirmed, the doctors and the patient will discuss referral to an oncologist and how to maintain oral health in the face of likely cancer treatment side effects such as dry mouth.

Early detection is one of the keys to minimizing the harm caused by cancer, and though the VELscope is not used alone, it does allow the doctors to get information about deep soft tissues which are difficult to explore in other ways. While people who smoke, drink excessively, or have HPV are at particular risk for oral cancer, everybody is vulnerable to some degree. VELscopes such as those used at Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk are part of a state-of-the-art practice which provides patients with care that would be hard to find elsewhere.

Dr. Allen Ressler, Dr. Andrew Hirschl, and Dr. Ira Lelchuk operate from two locations. To schedule an appointment at the location at Mount Sinai Medical Center, 4300 Alton Road, Suite 1190, Miami Beach, Florida, 33140, call 305-532-1444. To schedule an appointment at Intracoastal Mall, 3909 NE 163rd St, Suite 310, North Miami Beach, Florida, 33160, call 305-949-2630. They can also be reached on their website, Miami-Dental.com (http://www.miami-dental.com/), through a contact form (http://www.miami-dental.com/contact-us/).