When it comes to protecting oral health, knowledge is power. Below is a list of commonly asked questions about VELscope Vx.

What is the VELscope?
What is the VELscope Vx?
How does it work?
What is tissue fluorescence?
Is the VELscope a diagnostic tool?
How long does a VELscope exam take to perform?
Is the VELscope safe?
Does the VELscope generate "false positives" for oral cancer?

What is the VELscope?

The VELscope is the first adjunctive device cleared by the FDA and Health Canada to help clinicians detect cancerous and pre-cancerous lesions and other lesions that might not be apparent to the naked eye. The VELscope is also cleared to help surgeons determine appropriate surgical margins.

What is the VELscope Vx?

The VELscope Vx is the next generation VELscope system from LED Dental. The VELscope Vx is:

• cordless
• portable
• available with an optional digital camera system

VELscope Vx is completely safe for the clinician and patient. With push-button, intuitive controls, the simple-to-use system requires no unpleasant rinses or stains prior to use. When incorporated into the traditional head and neck exam, the VELscope Vx offers you a level of certainty that a physical exam simply cannot match.

How does it work?

The VELscope's blue light excites natural fluorophores in mucosal tissues. In turn, the fluorophores emit their own light — in shades of green, yellow and red. The VELscope's proprietary filter makes fluorescence visualization possible, by blocking reflected blue light, and by enhancing the contrast between normal and abnormal tissue.

What is tissue fluorescence?

Tissue fluorescence is an optical phenomenon that occurs when light absorbed by human tissue creates a molecular excitation that re-emits light at a different wavelength.

Is the VELscope a diagnostic tool?

Like other visualization technologies, such as panoramic radiography, CT, MRI, PET and ultrasound, the VELscope is NOT a stand-alone diagnostic test. However, used in conjunction with the standard oral soft tissue exam, VELscope provides visual information that cannot be acquired in any other way.

How long does a VELscope exam take to perform?

In less than 3 minutes, with no rinses, dyes or discomfort, a VELscope examination helps healthcare professionals assure their patients that their oral mucosa has been assessed to an advanced level of preventative care.

Is the VELscope safe?

Yes, the VELscope system is completely safe. The handpiece does not emit any radiation. The only thing being shone into the oral cavity is blue light, generated by light emitting diodes.

Does the VELscope generate "false positives" for oral cancer?

False positives occur when a diagnostic test mistakenly signals the presence of disease. The VELscope system is NOT a diagnostic test, and does not, consequently, generate false positives. As an adjunctive visualization tool, the VELscope helps dental professionals discover a wide range of unhealthy tissue in the mouth, including oral pre-cancer and cancer.