Advanced oral cancer screening
Oral Cancer Risk Profile
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7rFZN1kD8Y
Increased Risk
- Patients age 40 and older (95% of all cases)
- 18-39 years of age combined with any of the following:
- Tobacco use
- Chronic alcohol consumption
- Sexually active patients. (HPV)
Highest Risk
- Patients age 40 and older with lifestyle risk factors (tobacco and/or alcohol use)
- Patients with history of oral cancer
25% of oral cancers occur in people who do not smoke and have no other risk factors.
We have recently incorporated the Dental Oral Exam (DOE) system into our oral screening standard of care. It is approved by the FDA as an adjunct to enhance visualization of oral abnormalities. We find that using this system along with a standard oral cancer examination improves the abilitiy to identify suspicious areas at their earliest stages. The DOE , along with the doctor’s visual exam, is similar to proven early detection procedures for other cancers such as mammography, Pap smear, and PSA. The DOE e is a simple and painless examination that gives the best chance to find any abnormalities at the earliest possible stage. Early detection of pre-cancerous tissue can minimize or eliminate the potentially disfiguring effects of oral cancer and possibly save your life. The DOE exam will be offered to you annually.
Now, state-of-the-art digital x-rays have made the technology even safer and more beneficial. Digital radiography (digital x-ray) is the latest technology used to take dental x-rays. This technique uses an electronic sensor (instead of x-ray film) that instantly captures and stores the digital image on a computer. Digital x-rays reduce radiation 80-90% compared to the already low exposure of traditional dental x-rays.
We use these x-rays to diagnose problems like periodontal disease, abscesses, decay in between the teeth, bone loss, shape and size of the roots and many more The need for dental x-rays depends on each patient’s individual dental health needs.
A full mouth series of dental x-rays is recommended every three to five years. Bite-wing x-rays (x-rays of top and bottom teeth biting together) are taken at recall (check-up) visits and are recommended once or twice a year to detect new dental problems.
We are now paperless when it comes to health questionnaires. We will email, text or send you a QR code that will be used to answer all the questions in the comfort of your home. We will send you the questionnaires, consents, HIPPA forms, and advanced oral cancer screening forms a few days BEFORE your appointment. Once you complete it, we will have access to your answers which will be downloaded in your chart. Everything will be ready for you when you come in so we can proceed faster and without use of pen and paper. Another way of infection control. No forms will be filled in the office. 
Dental intraoral cameras enable us to closely see exactly what is happening inside your mouth in high-resolution. They allow us to then project the images of your teeth to a TV screen. From there, we’re able to save the images of your teeth for your patient files. It allows us to clearly show you problem areas. We can show you a magnified version of any abnormalities and decay we find, allowing you to be more involved in the treatment process. The intraoral camera can show you before and after pictures, pin point areas of concern and allows us to educate you about your oral health. As they say: "A picture is worth 1000 words"
Nitrous oxide is a safe and effective sedative agent that is mixed with oxygen and inhaled through a small mask that fits over your nose to help you relax.