The Velscope

Velscope is a technology that allows the detection of early pathological changes to oral mucosa due to a blue light that is emitted at a particular wavelength. This light is reflected by oral tissue. The dentist is then able to visualize deeply into the mucosal tissue any anomalies, such as cancerous or precancerous lesions, before they are seen by the naked eye. Oral cancer has not seen a decrease in its level of mortality in the past decades, despite the decrease in tobacco users. Recent studies have demonstrated a correlation between the increase in cases of oral cancer with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), the same virus that causes uterine cancer. The incidence of oral cancer in younger populations has shifted the demographics of this disease.