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What is LANAP Gum Surgery?
LANAP is an advanced procedure for periodontitis using a state-of-the-art dental laser. Treatment is designed to reduce the size of periodontal pockets around teeth and to help remove the bacteria that cause periodontitis. We may suggest this treatment if you have severe periodontitis, resulting in significant gum graft and bone graft concerns, and where teeth may have begun to work loose.
LANAP is significantly less invasive than traditional pocket reduction surgery, which typically requires a scalpel and stitches. After LANAP treatment, your gums can begin to reattach more securely around your teeth. The bone and periodontal ligaments supporting your teeth can begin to regenerate.
Healing after treatment is a process that takes several months and may even take up to a year to complete fully.
What are Periodontal Pockets?
Periodontal pockets are spaces that develop between teeth and gums as the gums become infected and inflamed. The infection and inflammation are caused by bacteria found in plaque and tartar. The infection and inflammation gradually destroy gum tissue, causing the gums to pull away from the teeth and create spaces that can become deep and difficult to keep clean.
The problem with periodontal pockets is that they create an ideal environment for bacteria to thrive. Without treatment, these bacteria will go on to destroy the bone supporting the teeth. Periodontal disease is a major cause of tooth loss.
How Can LANAP Help?
LANAP is a gentle laser treatment resulting in minimal pain and discomfort. Because the laser is so accurate, our LANAP dentist can accurately target and remove diseased gum tissue, leaving more of the healthy tissue intact.
As the disease tissue is removed, the laser energy kills bacteria without affecting the healthy gum and bone. After treatment, the gums have a greater chance of healing and fighting infection, and gradually start to fit more snugly around teeth. This helps create a healthier environment for new bone and periodontal ligaments to begin regenerating, allowing loose teeth to be gradually stabilized.
Benefits of LANAP Laser Treatment
LANAP treatment can provide many benefits over traditional periodontal pocket surgery, including:
- Minimal discomfort.
- Minimal bleeding.
- Faster healing with fewer side effects.
- Healthy gum tissue is preserved.
- Less postoperative swelling.
- Faster recovery.
- Can help with bone regeneration around teeth.
LANAP Treatment Step by Step
An initial consultation is necessary to assess your suitability for treatment, during which we can discuss LANAP gum surgery in greater detail.
We know many people are concerned that treatment will feel painful, and we want to reassure you that we numb your mouth before beginning. However, if you prefer, we can discuss sedation dentistry to ensure you feel more comfortable and relaxed.
Below is a brief overview of what to expect; however, your treatment may differ slightly, as it is customized to meet your specific oral health needs.
Step One: Treating Your Periodontal Pockets
After administering a local anesthetic, we check the depth of your periodontal pockets and record these measurements to compare with your follow-up appointment.
Treatment is administered using our Millennium Periolase MVP-7 dental laser, an advanced laser capable of performing LANAP, and which can effectively and safely treat both soft and hard tissues.
The laser is set to the correct wavelength, allowing us to begin removing the infected gum tissue within your periodontal pockets. At the same time, the laser energy also helps loosen calculus from teeth and exposed tooth roots.
Step Two: Cleaning Your Teeth and Exposed Tooth Roots
After calculus is loosened, we use specialized ultrasonic instruments to clean teeth and tooth roots more thoroughly. The vibration of these instruments helps loosen hardened calculus effectively.
After all the calculus is loosened, it is flushed away, leaving your tooth roots thoroughly cleaned. Cleaner surfaces will enable your gums to reattach more easily.
Step Three: Sealing Treated Areas
Once we are sure that we have removed all damaged gum tissue and that your teeth and tooth roots are clean, we adjust the setting on the laser. The new setting utilizes the energy of the laser to help disinfect the periodontal pockets, and it also facilitates the formation of blood clots in these areas.
These blood clots are extremely important because they form a fibrin barrier that helps prevent infection and initiate the process of healing. They also help prevent postoperative bleeding.
Step Four: Checking Your Bite
Advanced periodontal disease can loosen teeth and change the way they bite together. Therefore, after completing this treatment, we will assess your bite or occlusion and make any necessary adjustments to ensure your teeth bite together properly.
These adjustments are crucial in ensuring that when you bite and chew food, the forces are distributed evenly, thereby reducing unwanted stresses on your teeth.
If your teeth were significantly loosened, we may splint them together. This is a temporary measure that helps stabilize them during the healing process.
Recovery After LANAP Surgery
After LANAP treatment, we recommend taking it easy for a while, so aim to get plenty of rest. As the anesthetic wears off, you may experience some mild discomfort and soreness in your gums. It’s possible that there could be some minor bleeding.
Also, you may notice some gum discoloration. This is perfectly normal and is a sign that the gums are healing underneath that fibrin barrier.
Oral Care After LANAP Laser Treatment
Before you leave our dental office, we will provide you with detailed instructions on how to maintain your oral health during the healing process. If we have provided antibiotics, please take them as directed. We may also prescribe an antimicrobial mouthwash or suggest an over-the-counter brand to purchase.
Below are some straightforward tips to follow. If you have any questions, please get in contact with us.
- Use over-the-counter pain relief if you experience any discomfort. Taking ibuprofen can also help reduce swelling.
- Avoid rinsing your mouth for the first 24 hours after treatment. After this time, you can use an antimicrobial mouthwash, but swish it around gently and let it fall out of your mouth rather than spitting it out.
- A warm saltwater rinse can aid faster healing and is easy to make by dissolving half a teaspoon of table salt in a cup of warm water. You can use this mouth rinse as needed, up to several times a day.
- Avoid brushing and flossing the areas treated until we tell you to resume normal oral care.
- Continue brushing and flossing teeth that haven’t been treated.
It’s perfectly normal for your gums to feel slightly sore or tender for up to two weeks after treatment, and they may continue to feel sore for up to 12 months. This is because the ligaments and bone around your teeth are starting to regenerate.
It’s extremely rare to experience any issues, but if you notice your gums feel excessively painful or are bleeding excessively, or if you develop a fever or a temperature, please get in touch with us immediately for urgent dental care.
Eating After LANAP Gum Treatment
Choose liquid foods for the first 24 hours, for example, nutritious smoothies. During your first week, choose soft foods that require minimal or no chewing. Try to choose foods that are high in protein, such as cottage cheese, eggs, and yogurt, as these will help you heal more quickly.
Please refrain from eating any foods that are hard or crunchy. It’s very easy for small pieces of hard food, such as nuts and seeds, to become stuck around the gums, and these can be tricky to remove comfortably. Also, avoid eating anything too spicy as this might irritate your gums.
Follow-Up Care
We will schedule a follow-up appointment with you several weeks after your treatment. This is to check the results of your LANAP surgery and to check your bite.
Custom Night Guard
We will need to create a custom night guard to protect your teeth during sleep. The night guard helps prevent clenching and grinding, and helps keep your teeth fully immobilized so they can continue to stabilize after treatment.
Regular Professional Dental Cleanings
After this treatment, you will need to schedule regular professional dental cleanings approximately every three months for at least a year. After the first year, we will reassess the outcome of your treatment and provide an updated preventive dental care plan.
It’s not unusual for people with advanced periodontal disease to require more frequent hygiene appointments for life, so we may recommend you continue with a three-monthly routine.
FAQs
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Can I Have LANAP If I Smoke?
You can have this treatment, but we recommend trying to quit smoking if possible. This is because smoking affects healing and may mean that LANAP is less effective.
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How Many LANAP Treatments Will I Need?
Usually, only one treatment is needed, but if your gum disease is more severe, you may require an additional treatment to achieve better results. After treatment, it is essential to practice excellent oral care to maintain these results.
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Is LANAP Safe for People with Health Issues?
Generally, this treatment should be safe for people with health concerns like diabetes and heart disease. Usually, it is not necessary to stop taking any medications beforehand since bleeding is minimal.
However, we will need to review your medical history before recommending this treatment. If necessary, we will liaise with your health care providers to ensure it is as safe and effective as possible.
NYC Dentistry Center6 E 45th St #801
New York, NY 10017
(45th St. btw 5th Ave / Madison Ave)
(212) 518-6096