This is the video testimonial of a patient with advanced periodontal disease who had all of his hopeless upper teeth removed and replaced during the same appointment with the all-on-4 dental implant protocol and had the lower teeth treated with the Periolase laser. Because it was performed with IV conscious sedation, all of the work was performed in one appointment and he returned to work the next day.
Yes we do consultations for LANAP on a daily basis. Since we have a multidisciplinary approach to treating periodontal disease it is important to know about contributing factors to your tissue breakdown such as genetics, medical history,smoking, grinding teeth during sleep. etc. We would begin with a dental history discussion with either myself or Dr Lamas. This allows us to understand more about what has led up to your decision to consider LANAP. Many patients are fearful of gum surgery so we compare and contrast traditional periodontal surgery with LANAP during the treatment conference appointment. You would then be escorted to the examination room where we will take your medical history, your blood pressure and perform a comprehensive periodontal exam including intra-oral photos, bacterial testing and necessary films. At that point we would know whether LANAP is a realistic consideration for you. After careful study of your case, a detailed appointment plan would then be formulated and presented at a subsequent treatment conference visit. Despite our many years of experience, we find it very valuable for our patients to understand existing conditions, risks of delaying or not having treatment and have us explain treatment alternatives as well as answer any questions from you, loved ones or even your current dentist.
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!
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