Oral Cancer Examination

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Oral Cancer Examination Leichhardt

Our advanced dental facility is equipped with a cutting-edge system to help scan and detect oral cancer at the earliest possible stage.

For optimal oral wellness and to ensure early detection, we recommend screening once a year for adults.

The process is done quick and pain-free and can be performed during a regular dental check-up visit at affordable rates.

Oral Cancer Fast Facts

Oral cancer is three times more common than cervical cancer
Oral cancer survival rates have been stagnant for 30 years, with the most cases found during more advanced stages
Survival rates are higher if diagnosed during the early stages
Physicians recommend yearly oral cancer screenings

Oral Cancer Symptoms

Mouth sores and ulcers that don’t seem to go away
Pain in mouth and ear
Swelling in the neck
Difficulty swallowing
Persistent sore throat without symptoms of colds or other illness

What to expect

During an oral cancer examination, your Leichhardt dentist looks over the insides of your mouth to check for mouth sores.

Using gloved hands, your Leichhardt dentist feels the tissues in your mouth to check for lumps or other abnormalities.

Additional Tests for Oral Cancer Examination

Some dentists use other special tests on top of the oral examinations. These may involve the following:

Rinsing your mouth with a special dye prior to the exam. Abnormal cells in your mouth will be stained and spotted through this method.

Shining a special light in your mouth. This light makes healthy tissues appear dark and makes abnormal tissues appear white.

Results

If your Leichhardt dentist detects any signs of oral cancer or precancerous lesions, we recommend the following:

Follow-up visits a few weeks after to see if the abnormal area is still there and take note whether it has changed through time.
Biopsy procedure to find out whether cancer cells are present.

A sample of cells will be taken for laboratory testing. Your Leichhardt dentist may perform the biopsy, or you may be referred to a specialist in oral cancer diagnosis and treatment.