Latest Generation VELscope Device Approved for Sale by Health Canada
VELscope Vx System Gives Dentists a Cordless, Affordable Way to Detect Oral Cancer and Other Oral Disease.
Burnaby, British Columbia (PRWEB) October 20, 2010
LED Dental Inc. announced today that its VELscope Vx Enhanced Oral Assessment system was granted a medical device license and approved for sale by Health Canada. The VELscope Vx system’s unique cordless design and affordable pricing make it easier than ever for dental practices to detect oral cancer and other forms of oral disease.
The first-generation VELscope device was introduced in 2006, with the second-generation version launching two years later. In total, LED Dental has sold almost 6,000 units of the two devices, which have been used to conduct almost 10 million enhanced oral soft tissue exams worldwide. Oral soft tissue exams not only help detect all types of oral disease but are also a key element of an oral cancer screening protocol. Today, VELscope fluorescence visualization technology is used to conduct more enhanced oral exams than any other detection technology in the world.
“We are extremely excited about the potential of the VELscope Vx system to significantly increase the number of dental practices conducting oral cancer screenings,” said Peter Whitehead, founder and CEO of LED Dental. “The device’s portability makes it easy to transport between operatories within the dental practice, and its attractive pricing makes it possible for practices to charge very low exam fees to their patients.”
Oral cancer kills one North American every hour of every day. According to the SEER database, oral cancer has a higher mortality rate than several better-publicized cancers, such as cervical cancer and testicular cancer. Some oral cancers are now known to be linked to exposure to the sexually-transmitted human papilloma virus (HPV), which means that anyone who is sexually active is potentially at risk for the disease. Because of this, many health experts advise everyone 18-years-old and older to get an oral cancer exam on at least an annual basis.
Regular exams can help address the fact that oral cancer is typically discovered in late stages, when the 5-year survival rate is around 30%. When discovered in early stages, however, the survival rate leaps to 80-to-90%, according to SEER data. Early detection can help reduce not only the mortality rate, but the degree of invasiveness and disfigurement resulting from treatment.
The VELscope Vx shines a safe, blue light into the oral cavity and excites natural tissue fluorescence. When viewed by the clinician through the Vx’s patented filters, abnormal tissue typically appears as an irregular, dark area that stands out against the otherwise normal, green fluorescence pattern of surrounding healthy tissue.
VELscope Vx exams can help dental practices detect not only oral cancer, but other more common types of oral disease, such as infections. Exams take only a few minutes, and are completely free of any pain or inconvenience for patients. To learn more about the VELscope Vx, or to find dental practices that offer VELscope exams, visit http://www. velscope. com.
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