Periodontal Diseases are caused by bacterial infections that attack gums, ligaments, and bone. There are several kinds of periodontal diseases including gingivitis and periodontitis. Treatment methods depend upon the disease and how far the condition has progressed. To keep your teeth and gums healthy brush your teeth thoroughly twice a day, carefully clean between teeth, eat a balanced diet, and schedule regular dental checkups.
Laser Periodontal therapy™
The new standard of care for periodontal disease is Laser Periodontal Therapy™. If you have been told that you need gum surgery or you have periodontal disease, this new technology replaces cutting of the gum tissue with a scalpel and does not require stitches. This means an easy recovery with minimal bleeding, which preserves gum tissue, reduces root exposure and sensitivity, and is reasonably priced as compared to traditional gum surgery.
LANAP (Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure) is used to treat periodontal disease and save many teeth that were previously considered hopeless. It uses the world’s first digital dental laser--the PerioLase ® MVP-7 , which was specifically designed for treating periodontal disease. The PerioLase ® laser is used as part of Laser Periodontal Therapy™, to remove harmful bacteria and diseased tissue from the gum pocket by passing a laser light between gum and tooth. Patients don’t hear or feel it – except for a little warmth. LANAP promises the patient a pain-free method to zap away disease. The procedure’s method of eliminating germs from the gums is very similar to lifting ink from a paper. First, the laser uses heat to strip away the diseased gum. The laser only seeks out infected tissue, which is darker in color than healthy tissue, leaving healthy tissue in place. Then, the dentist uses the laser a second time to heat the area until a clot is formed, protecting the newly-lasered tissue by sealing it. This allows the body to heal naturally so that the gum pockets improve and the teeth become more stable.
Laser Periodontal therapy™ benefits
- EASY - LPT™ is a minimally invasive procedure— there’s no cutting and no suturing.
- LESS DISCOMFORT - There's much LESS DISCOMFORT with LPT™ than with standard surgery -- during and after the procedure.
- LESS TIME - It takes LESS TIME than traditional scalpel surgery. All it takes is two 2-hour visits to the office and two follow up visits. Traditional surgery requires four sessions of about one hour each, with subsequent visits for suture removal and additional check-ups.
- LASTING RESULTS - LPT™ provides LASTING RESULTS. In fact, 98% of LPT™ treated patients remain stable after five years.
- 24 HOUR RECOVERY - There's less than 24 HOUR RECOVERY period, so you won't lose time from work. Dr. Weeks will probably recommend a soft diet for several days, and common sense should prevail. Following traditional surgery, recovery can take significantly more time.
- SAFE - LPT™ is SAFE for patients with health concerns such as diabetes, HIV, hemophilia, or those taking medications such as Coumadin or Cyclosporin.
- FDA CLEARED– LPT™ is an FDA cleared procedure. This means the Laser Periodontal
Therapy protocol is a viable treatment alternative to traditional periodontal surgery.
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