Oral Exams & Cancer Screening

The dentists at Clifton Park Dental perform a complete oral examination on patients every six months or sooner when a patient comes in for their regular dental cleaning visit. This exam not only includes detection of cavities and diagnosis of various stages of periodontal disease, but involves an extraoral exam of the jaw joint and an intraoral exam for oral cancer.

When the dentists at our office perform the oral cancer exam, they will inspect the mouth and neck both visually and with manual palpation. They will also check x-rays for any suspicious lesions. If a suspicious lesion is found, either a brush biopsy will be done by the dentist or the patient will be sent to an oral surgeon for removal of the lesion with a tissue biopsy.

Although a diagnosis of oral cancer is a very serious matter, it is important to know that with early detection, many cases are highly curable. This is why a dental examination by your dentist is so important.