Now, a laser periodontist can offer a better alternative. A procedure known as laser-assisted new attachment procedure (LANAP) can achieve the desired treatment outcomes using a tiny laser rather than traditional surgical instruments.
A procedure known as laser-assisted new attachment procedure (LANAP) can achieve the desired treatment outcomes using a tiny laser rather than traditional surgical instruments.
LANAP gives patients an option for a minimally invasive procedure, with only minor (if any) discomfort and a shorter recovery timeframe.
In performing a LANAP procedure, the laser periodontist will use a thin laser—about the width of a paperclip—to remove the diseased tissue from the pockets that have developed between the teeth and the gums. The laser used is the Millennium Periolase, the most advanced LANAP technology available to periodontists.
After all of the diseased tissue has been removed, the teeth are cleaned thoroughly and the laser is used again to stimulate the formation of a blood clot to re-connect the healthy gum tissue to the tooth.
Because LANAP patients experience minimal discomfort, most patients will not need anything more than a local anesthetic to tolerate the procedure.
Another advantage of LANAP is that it can more precisely target the diseased gum tissue for removal. With traditional gum surgery, healthy gum tissue was often removed alongside the compromised tissue to ensure that all signs of gum disease were eliminated during the surgery. Furthermore, LANAP patients experience little bleeding during the procedure, as well.
Proper treatment for periodontal disease is essential for avoiding negative outcomes like tooth and bone loss. If gum surgery has been recommended as a treatment for periodontal disease in your case but you are wary of a traditional surgical procedure, talk to our periodontist, Dr. Beth Tomlin, about LANAP as a possible alternative. You may feel more comfortable with a minimally invasive intervention, and you should be on a speedy road to recovery afterward.