Vizilite® is a simple and quick oral cancer screening procedure that is performed by our dental hygienist or dentist right here in our office.
It is recommended that ViziLite® Plus be given annually to all new and current adult dental patients. Patients with a history of oral cancer should receive at least semi-annual ViziLite® Plus exams.
Oral cancer is a general term used when referring to any type of cancer affecting the tongue, jaw, and lower cheek area. Since it is impossible for the dentist to decisively diagnose a pathological disease without taking a biopsy sample of the affected area, seeking immediate treatment when changes are first noticed might be a life and death decision. If the biopsy indicates that oral cancer is present, an excision (removal) will generally be performed.
Oral cancer screening is a quick and painless exam that can detect precancerous abnormalities and help prevent the spread of deadly oral cancer by early detection! When oral cancer is found early, it can be successfully treated in about 80% of patients. The catch is “early detection”.
That is why 7 Day Dental recommends a yearly oral cancer screening with Vizilite® Plus in our office.
Oral cancer screening with Vizilite Plus takes only five minutes.
Vizilite Plus equipment for detection of oral cancer was developed by Tylon Corporation. The equipment was originally meant to detect uterine cervix. The equipment got FDA clearance for oral mucosal examination in 2001.
The entire oral cancer screening with Vizilite ® Plus is quickly done as part of a regular dental exam. This is an effective way to screen patients and rule out lesions that are noncancerous and find early lesions before they become more advanced.
What our hygienist is looking for are areas that glow under the light wand. Abnormalities in the cells just below the surface cause this glowing.
These glowing areas are the areas of suspicion and will be tested further in the second step of the Vizilite ® oral cancer screening. If there are not any glowing areas, the screening is finished.
No glow = negative for oral cancer.
If glowing areas are present, we will continue testing further.
Our second test involves a set of swabs and a special “t-blue” dye. If all the dye wipes off in the final swab, the result is negative. If some of the dye remains, that area is identified as needing a biopsy for further testing.
A separate appointment will be made for the biopsy.
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