LANAP (Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure) : Laser Periodontal Therapy™
The FDA-Approved and patented LANAP laser therapy is a pocket reduction procedure that reduces pockets by establishing a new connective tissue attachment to the tooth at a coronal level. The LANAP procedure provides the ideal situation in which new bone, cementum, and periodontal ligament can form on root surfaces that were diseased before treatment began. This is a minimally invasive periodontal procedure like no other. In most instances, treatment with the LANAP laser eliminates the need for conventional cut and suture periodontal surgery, also referred to as flap and osseous surgery.
Approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2004, this pulsing laser can distinguish between healthy and diseased gums by color. The infected tissue, which is has a darker pigment than healthy tissue, and bacteria are “zapped” away by the laser, leaving behind only healthy gum tissue. LANAP then helps connective tissue and bone form between the gums and teeth, according to a study in the December 2007 issue of the International Journal of Periodontics and Restorative Dentistry. The laser’s heat also seals the gums with a “thermal blood clot” which creates a physical barrier, blocking any bacteria or tissue that could recreate a gum pocket.
Ask Dr. Brown: FAQ's on Laser Periodontal Treatment
Who is a candidate for this laser treatment?
Almost everyone who has periodontal disease, swollen gingiva, or soft tissue lesions that require biopsies. The laser treatment is especially good for treating very advanced cases that are almost beyond conventional surgical treatment because the laser treatment can sometimes regenerate bone and soft tissue. It’s estimated that over 100 million American adults have moderate to severe periodontal disease. Of these, only 3-4 percent receive conventional treatment.
How is periodontal disease normally treated nationwide?
The traditional treatment is to do deep scaling and root planing, and to use blades to cut the tissue and burs to grind the bone, and then suture it closed. This procedure works well but often causes considerable discomfort and appearance problems afterward, as well as root sensitivity.
What about patient discomfort, sensitivity, pain, and downtime?
Some of the primary patient benefits of laser treatment, as compared to using the blade and sutures, include much less pain, sensitivity, recession, swelling, and very little downtime after treatment. Generally, patients can go back to work the same day, if not sedated.
Does the new laser technique really regenerate soft tissue and bone?
Yes, that’s what’s remarkable about this technique. In an eight-year retrospective study, bone density profiles were evaluated and 100 percent of the areas had increases in bone density, and many had increases in bone quantity. In addition, a histologic study has shown new soft tissue attachment in two-thirds of the cases studied and new bone in 100 percent of the cases.
How can this treatment save teeth that could not be saved before?
The laser reduces the bacteria and bio-stimulates the cells to produce new attachment and bone.
How does the cost of laser treatment compare to conventional surgery?
Even with all the benefits, the cost of laser treatment is no more than conventional surgery. Insurance will often cover part of the cost, depending on the plan. When you consider that patients frequently lose two to three days of work time following conventional treatment, and there is a very minimum loss of work time with laser treatment, the cost of laser treatment is really much less than conventional treatment.
What happens to patients who go untreated for moderate to severe periodontal disease because of fear of conventional treatment?
This is a huge concern since only about three percent of the almost 100 million Americans who have moderate to severe periodontal disease are getting treatment. The bottom line is that they will suffer from painful abscesses and multiple extractions. Ultimately, they will lose all their teeth (approximately 40 million Americans are edentulous). They will lose their natural smile and are only able to chew about 20 percent as efficiently as with their natural teeth. The infection may get into the bloodstream, causing an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and other serious systemic diseases. The infectious bacteria that cause periodontal disease are also often transmitted to spouses, significant others, and family members. This can all be avoided by reducing patient fear with laser treatment.
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