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VELscope® Oral Cancer Screening services offered in Bensonhurst/Mapleton, Brooklyn, NY
Consider oral cancer screening if you use tobacco, drink alcohol, or simply want to protect your oral health. At Dental Arts of Brooklyn, with an office in the Bensonhurst and Mapleton neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City, general dentist Jason Liem, DDS, and his team offer oral cancer screening with VELscope® enhanced oral assessment. VELscope uses advanced technology to detect oral cancer early on when it's easiest to treat. Call the nearest office today and request oral cancer screening or book online.
What is oral cancer screening?
Oral cancer screening is an outpatient procedure that uses advanced technology to detect abnormal tissues in your mouth.
At Dental Arts of Brooklyn, the team offers oral cancer screening with VELscope –– a treatment that has made it significantly easier for dentists to examine the oral mucosa (the lining of your tongue and cheeks) for precancerous or cancerous cells.
Who can benefit from oral cancer screening?
Request oral cancer screening at Dental Arts of Brooklyn if you have any of the following symptoms:
- A sore in your mouth that won’t heal
- A mass or growth inside of your mouth
- Bleeding from your mouth
- A lump in our neck
- Difficulty wearing dentures or other oral appliances
- Numbness in your lips, tongue, or lower face
- Tongue pain
If you have oral cancer, you might also have a sore throat or a stiff jaw that doesn’t improve with at-home treatment.
What does an oral cancer screening involve?
At Dental Arts of Brooklyn, oral cancer screening involves two steps:
Step one: comprehensive oral exam (COE)
During a COE, your Dental Arts of Brooklyn provider checks your head, neck, and mouth for abnormal growths or abscesses. They use their eyes and hands to examine anything that looks unusual or out of place. Your provider may ask you to open your mouth wide or stick out your tongue.
Step two: VELscope oral cancer screening
Next, your dentist uses the VELscope –– a handheld tool that emits wavelengths of blue spectrum light –– to examine your gums, tongue, and inner cheeks.
Areas of tissue with precancerous or cancerous cells change color under the VELscope’s light, allowing your dentist to make an accurate diagnosis.
If the screening determines that you have oral cancer, the team makes treatment recommendations.
How is oral cancer treated?
Treatment of oral cancer depends on various factors, including your age, the type of cancer, and its stage. The team at Dental Arts of Brooklyn might recommend:
- Surgery to remove an abscess or tumor
- Quitting smoking
- Not drinking alcohol
- Improved nutrition
- Preventive dentistry to keep your mouth healthy
If you have a type of cancer that requires chemotherapy or radiation, the team can refer you to a nearby oncologist for more specialized treatment.
Call the nearest Dental Arts of Brooklyn office today to request VELscope oral cancer screening or book online.