Laser Gum Surgery with LANAP® vs. Traditional Surgery: Which Is Better?
In the past, periodontal surgery had been viewed with dread by dental patients.
However, recent dental technology advances offer non-surgical gum disease treatments by using lasers.
What are the differences between laser gum surgery with LANAP® vs. traditional surgery? Which is better?
Our article will answer both of these questions.
First, though, let’s talk about why getting treatment for periodontal disease is essential.
Periodontal Disease Signs
Periodontal disease treatment becomes necessary when gum disease has progressed to a stage where the gums are infected and receding. The result is usually tooth loss.
What are some of the signs of periodontal disease?
A few to be on the alert for include:
- Bleeding gums
- Bad breath
- Receding gums
- Tooth movement
- Pain when chewing
- Red, swollen, or tender gums
The good news is periodontal disease is treatable!
Periodontal therapy can restore your gum’s health and save your teeth, which involves removing the infection and cleaning the area between the gums and teeth. Once cleaned, the gums can heal and regenerate.
However, many patients cringe at the thought of periodontal surgery and have put off getting treatment until it is too late to reverse the disease.
A gentler, non-surgical solution was needed, and the FDA approved that treatment with LANAP® (Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure).
LANAP® vs. Traditional Surgery: What Are The Differences?
Traditional gum surgery involves just that… surgery.
It requires a dentist or periodontist to use a scalpel to cut the gum tissue and pull it away from the tooth and then clean out the infection all the way down to the root.
Also, additional gum tissue may need to be grafted in place to help the gum to re-attach to the tooth. Afterward, the gum tissue is sutured closed and left to heal.
LANAP® laser surgery does not require scalpels or sutures!
The laser uses concentrated light energy to gently remove only the diseased tissue and kill infection, leaving behind healthy tissue.
Laser treatment also encourages the regeneration of healthy gum tissue.
Some of the main differences between traditional gum surgery and LANAP® are:
- Pain – Because traditional surgery requires cutting tissues, there can be post-operative pain. That’s not true with LANAP®. Patients report minimal, if any, post-op pain.
- Recovery – Gum tissue after traditional surgery needs time to heal. The first few days after surgery, there is usually some swelling, and you will need to be on a special diet. After LANAP® laser surgery, there is minimal downtime; you can generally return to your routine right away. Healing time is considerably faster, and there is a decreased risk of infection, sensitivity, and post-surgery bleeding.
- Long-term results – With LANAP®, the results are more predictable when it comes to regeneration of bone and gum tissue and reattachment to the tooth. LANAP® is the only procedure that enables regeneration of the bone tissue supporting the teeth.
Since coming on the scene in 2004, LANAP® has been growing in popularity with both dentists and patients.
Its effectiveness, gentleness, minimal side effects, and low risk of complications make it the preferred treatment for periodontal treatment at the Dental Group of Westchester.
Leave the Health of Your Smile in Our Expert Hands
Training for this specialty service requires completing comprehensive, clinical, hands-on, and dentist-to-dentist training at the Institute for Advanced Laser Dentistry.
Our team of experts at the Dental Group of Westchester includes dentists highly trained in treating advanced gum disease and are approved members of the American Association of Periodontology.
If you are looking for a non-surgical, minimally-invasive option for your periodontal treatment, LANAP® is the perfect solution!
Contact us today to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also check LANAP® surgery reviews from our patients.
Or contact us by:
- Calling us and talking with one of our friendly team members
- Emailing us
