Laser Gum Surgery – LANAP

Millennium Periolase LANAP Recently we acquired the newest technology available today for patient care, the Millennium Periolase. This is the latest generation of the Nd:YAG laser and is designed specifically to treat periodontal disease . Like LASIK surgery for the eyes, this patented and FDA approved laser therapy is a breakthrough in treating periodontal disease since it allows us to treat the disease using this new laser in a minimally invasive procedure eliminating cutting and suture surgery. Instead of cutting away infected tissue we are now able to regenerate soft tissue attachment to the root and new bone much of the time. This was demonstrated in a recently published histologic stud of laser treatment by a major university where they found new soft tissue attachment to the root in 100% of the cases studied and new bone in two thirds of the cases.

Like LASIK eye surgeons who need more than one laser to treat different eye problems, we also have second laser which is the latest generation CO2 laser, the DEKA Ultra Speed CO2 laser. This gives us the capability of treating almost all periodontal and soft tissue problems with lasers. In 1990, we were the first periodontal practice in the nation to acquire the original practice Nd:YAG laser. Since then, we have treated over 3,000 patients with laser therapy making us the most experienced periodontal laser users in the world. This new generation Nd:YAG laser is out fifth laser and we are the first periodontal practice in Broward and Palm Beach counties to have one.

For many patients with periodontal disease , scaling and root planing is not enough therapy and conventional cutting and suture surgery is too much treatment. Laser surgery provides a much improved methods for saving teeth with advanced periodontal disease for those patients who want to save their teeth but do not want or are not good candidates for conventional surgery. We can now sometimes save teeth that we would have extracted in the past. For most patients, laser surgery provides a realistic alternative with comparable results.

before periodontal laser therapy after periodontal laser therapy

In addition to the clinical benefits, laser therapy provides significantly less pain, recession, bleeding and root sensitivity and minimal swelling and downtime after treatment. We can achieve all these benefits in only one visit since the laser therapy also eliminated the often painful deep scaling visit. This makes it ideal for patients who are fearful of conventional periodontal deep scaling and cutting surgery.

An additional benefit of laser surgery is the antibacterial effect that helps disinfect periodontal pockets. This laser specifically targets the highly pathogenic black pigmented bacteria and is able to vaporize these bacteria safely because of a very rapid 1/10,000th of a second pulses which allow the tissue to cool 99.8% of the time. We were one of the first in 1992 to document this effect when we published our research in the Journal of Periodontology. We found almost complete elimination of the three major periodontal pathogens in poet-treatment pockets as compared to pre-treatment samples.

If you would like to find out more about this breakthrough in treating periodontal disease to save your smile, please call or e-mail our office for an examination.

Who will benefit from Laser?

Laser therapy provides additional pocket reduction and antibacterial control for patients with:

  • Refractory periodontal infections where the laser may be used in conjunction with microbiological testing
  • Previous periodontal therapy
  • Pocket depths between 5 and 6mm
  • Very advanced, inoperable pockets
  • Continuing pocket breakdown during maintenance
  • Medical Problems
  • Age Concerns
  • Emotional concerns, such as fear of surgery
  • Gingival overgrowth due to prescriptions medications (i.e., Dilantin, Cyclosporin, Calcium Channel Blockers) or orthodontic appliances

Other Laser Applications in Periodontics

While the laser is used primarily for reducing and disinfecting periodontal pockets, it also plays a valuable role in the following application:

  • Soft Tissue crown lengthening
  • Frenectomy
  • Removal of soft tissue lesions
  • Localized hemostasis
  • Removal of post-operative granulations

These procedures can be performed quickly and effectively with the laser.

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