Periodontal disease can be detrimental to a patient's mouth and overall health. Treating periodontal disease can be a long and challenging process but fortunately, advances in dental technology in the treatment of periodontal disease have enabled doctors to develop a technique called laser assisted new attachment procedure, Marin County LANAP. Traditional gum surgery used a scalpel to reshape the gum tissue and encourage healthy grow back. Laser therapy is much more comfortable for the patient and works to promote better bone health as well as healthy gum regeneration.
Traditional Bone Graft Surgery
When a patient requires additional bone to be added to a weak area in their jaw, a scalpel is used to cut the gum tissue and fold it back to gain access to the underlying bone structure. The bone graft is then applied to the affected area using a type of graft material which could be a piece of bone harvested from the patient, synthetic material, or donor bone. The gum tissue is then folded back over the new bone and stitched into place. A traditional bone graft can take up to three months to completely heal before any further treatment can be performed.
LANAP Periodontal Therapy
For laser therapy, a laser is used instead of a scalpel and is performed by a certified clinical doctor. A laser fiber is inserted between the tooth and gum without a need to cut the gum tissue. Multiple settings are used to focus the laser’s light energy to the specific area being treated. The laser allows for precise treatment without causing any damage to surrounding healthy tissue and works to stimulate bone regeneration and healthy tissue growth. Using a treatment option that aims towards rejuvenation instead of replacement can be much easier for the patient to recover from and allow further procedures to be done in a much more timely fashion.
LANAP gum therapy is minimally invasive and allows the patient to return to normal activities within one day whereas traditional options using a scalpel and sutures will keep the patient in recovery for up to two weeks. Without treatment, periodontal disease can continue to cause bone deterioration which will eventually cause tooth loss. Having laser gun therapy to rejuvenate the area can easily save your teeth! If you have gum recession and bone loss, speak with your dentist to see if laser assisted periodontal therapy could work for you.