Laser Periodontal Therapy™ is a laser based technique for the treatment of periodontal disease using the Millennium Dental Technologies, Inc., PerioLase Laser. Fear of periodontal treatment vanishes when patients find out no scalpel or sutures will be used. Patient friendly laser treatment gets patients to agree to the treatment they need and continue with the follow-up care that is prescribed.
Our office is one of the first in the area to offer Laser Periodontal Therapy™ for the treatment of gingivitis and/or periodontitis.
How does it work?
Tartar, associated with inflamed and bleeding gums, is removed form the root surface of the tooth using an ultrasonic scaler and small instruments.
Then, a small amount of light energy from a laser is directed through a tiny fiber, which is gently placed between the gum and tooth. This light energy removes a tiny amount of diseased tissue and aids in reducing the bacteria associated with the disease. After the area is thoroughly cleaned, the body can heal the area naturally.
August 4, 2010
What is Laser Periodontal Therapy? How does it work?
10 Things You Need To Know About Treating Gum Disease Without A Scalpel
1. LASER PERIODONTAL THERAPY™ also known as LANAP (laser assisted new attachment procedure) is easy since there’s no cutting and no suturing.
2. There’s much less discomfort with LASER PERIODONTAL THERAPY™ than with standard surgery – during and after the procedure.
3. It takes less time than traditional surgery. All it takes is one 2 to 3 hour laser procedure visit and two follow up visits.
4. Traditional surgery requires four sessions of about one hour each, with subsequent visits for suture removal and additional check-ups.
5. LASER PERIODONTAL THERAPY™ gives better, longer-lasting results. In fact, 98% of LASER PERIODONTAL THERAPY™ treated patients remain stable after five years, while only 5% reportedly remain stable after surgery.
6. Drs Gallardo and Lamas will probably recommend a soft diet for a day or two, and common sense should prevail, but in most cases, patients feel good enough to eat anything they want right after the procedure.
7. Following traditional surgery, recovery can take between to 2-4 weeks during which patients can experience considerable pain and swelling, where they may be restricted to liquid or soft diets.
8. There’s less than 24 hour recovery period, so you won’t lose time from work.
9. LASER PERIODONTAL THERAPY™ is safe for patients with health concerns such as diabetes, hemophilia, or those taking medications such as Coumadin or Cyclosporin.
10. LASER PERIODONTAL THERAPY™ is less expensive than traditional gum surgery since materials such as bone grafts and stitches are not used. Deep cleanings ( scaling and root planing) are not necessary prior to starting treatment. This also saves on overall cost.
August 2, 2010
I am getting an implant to replace two teeth that have had a removable bridge. Do you do anything to the teeth adjacent to the bridge to build them up?
That depends on whether there is a need to strengthen what holds the teeth in place or change the tooth itself. During a proper evaluation we would evaluate for mobility patterns (you may not realize your teeth are starting to loosen), bone support around the remaining teeth, pathology such as root canal type infections that may show up only on x-rays and make sure that the natural teeth and the implants work together in providing the best possible function. The forces on the “new bite” have to be designed in a very specific way and this could vary depending on the circumstances of the patient. Where the tooth is positioned in the arch dermines, in part, what role it should play in overall chewing as well as appearance. Sometimes the surrounding teeth do have to be built up in order to achieve this proper bite and also create a more youthful appearance if something called the “vertical dimension” of the face has been changed (iefacial collapse). If all that is nessary is the treatment of gum disease then a simple non-invasive laser option called LANAP can reverse the damage to the bone that supports the teeth. I hope this helps!
May 24, 2010
GREAT CONFERENCE!
Great Conference!
By John Paul Gallardo, DDS
At the resident doctor’s request, I recently had the pleasure to lecture to the 2010 University of Florida general residency program on Advanced Surgical techniques in Periodontics and Implant Dentistry. We held our course in our continuing education conference room following a tour of the clinical facility. Preparing for these courses is always exhausting but worth all the effort! With all of the new information we included, it feels like new technology and modern concepts make what we were doing only a few years back almost obsolete. It is exciting to share as well as listen to some of the very thought provoking questions these doctors were asking. Our basic message was very simple…always continue to elevate your gold standard!
Again, a great time and great to see everyone! Congratulations on completing the program!
October 4, 2009
Can bonding fix my receeding gums?
Actually, bonding may play an important role in the treatment of a receding gum line but only after evaluating for the possibility of gingival grafting has been evaluated for. Bonding alone will NOT stop the continued process of recession and will NOT correct the “elongated” tooth appearance that characteristically results from the gingiva receding away. By first providing a sound, biological barrier for root coverage as can be provided through the more advanced grafting procedures, the condition is actually reversed. Some of these techniques can actually be performed without taking tissue from the roof of your mouth.
Because more tissue thickness can result than what was originally present over the root, the likelihood of a complete reoccurrence is significantly reduced. Because gingival grafts are intended to adhere to the root surface of the tooth, notches in the enamel known as abfraction lesions may have to be corrected with a tooth colored bonding procedure in addition to grafting for the best overall result. The best initial step is usually for the patient to visit us for an examination to discuss options as well as realistic expectations as treatment recommendations can vary from case to case.
Dr. Gallardo
