At least 60% of all adult tooth extractions in our practice are due to periodontal diseases and many more people have the disease and don’t even know it.
As far as how many people get LANAP as opposed to traditional surgery and deep cleanings?
Our experience has been that once a patient has had the opportunity to become well informed on the differences between LANAP and traditional surgery, LANAP is the much preferred treatment option.
Some differences:
LANAP
•98% of laser treated patients remain stable after 5 years
•Less time in the dental chair (one to two laser visits)
•Less risk of infection, less sensitivity, less bleeding
•Gum recession much less of a problem than scalpel surgery
•Less invasive
•One day recovery time with minimal discomfort
Alternatives
•Scaling and root planning (“deep cleaning”) can be used to maintain pocket depth but have very little to no effect on making the pocket smaller or regenerating bone loss
•Tooth extraction and Dental implants
•Flap surgery with or without bone grafting can have a 2 to 4 week recovery with considerable pain and swelling\
•With all alternatives, increased bleeding, swelling and discomfort
•Removable Dentures
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.
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.
A dental implant will not create more bone volume (size) but it will make the bone that IS there much stronger and more dense unlike a bridge or a removable partial denture which can actually contribute to more bone loss. In situations where bone grafting is absolutely necessary, keep in mind that all bone grafts and techniques are not the same and they could vary from case to case. Also the health of the teeth ,the gingiva and bone surrounding them that will be next to the dental implants must be evaluated in the early stages of planning the case. The best way to not risk bone loss is to prevent it and plan against it with a comprehensive evaluation including a periodontal examination in addition to the implant consult.
2020 SW 27th Avenue
