At Clarksburg Dental, we are now offering laser-assisted new attachment procedure as an option for periodontal treatment. Laser-assisted new attachment procedure, or LANAP, is a non-surgical option to periodontal surgery. It is used to treat periodontitis, or gum disease, which is an infection in the gums usually resulting from poor oral hygiene. It kills the bacteria and removes the diseased tissue, leaving the healthy tissue intact.
This is an FDA-approved procedure that is less painful and usually more successful than traditional surgery. This is the only method that results in periodontal regeneration, which is the growth of new gum and bone tissue. It uses a special laser called Nd:YAG, which has variable speeds and pulse frequencies for various types of tissue.
The success of this procedure is due to the ability to target inflammation without impacting healthy gum tissue. It can also be used to reduce the pocket depth between gums and teeth, as well as prevent the gums from detaching from the teeth. This allows our patients to recover from the infection without requiring more surgery.
LANAP leaves behind a healthy environment that the patient can maintain. It cleans and disinfects the gum pockets, kills pathologic bacteria, loosens tartar, and targets diseased tissue. This leaves the patient with healthy, fresh gum tissue to attach to the tooth.
LANAP can also be used for laser gum removal and gum contouring.
In the world of oral care, laser dentistry isn’t new. In fact, it was developed by Dr. Robert Gregg and Dr. Delwin McCarthy in 1990. Laser dental surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that takes the place of periodontal surgery that most patients dread- and therefore, try to avoid.
Traditional gum surgery involves scalpels and sutures. While this is an effective method for treating gum disease, it can cause a variety of issues, such as:
Therefore, Dr. McCarthy and Dr. Gregg introduced LANAP to the market as a bladeless alternative to traditional surgery.
How Does LANAP Treatment Work?If you’ve been diagnosed with advanced periodontitis- or gum disease, it’s understandable to be concerned. After all, gum disease can cause so many unpleasant symptoms that may cause you to feel self-conscious and concerned about what the future holds for your smile as well as your overall health. However, at Clarksburg Dental, LANAP is a quick and easy cure for this condition.
LANAP allows you to get treatment for your gum disease and get back to your life with little to no interruption. However, before you decide whether or not this is a good solution for you, it’s important to understand what gum disease is, how it progresses, and what your options are for treatment. This will help you make an informed decision that is best for your oral, as well as your overall health.
Gingivitis, which is inflammation of the gums, is the first stage of gum disease. This is typically due to poor oral hygiene, but may also be caused by:
However, it still remains that the most common cause is poor oral hygiene. Plaque builds up when patients do not brush and floss daily as well as schedule regular dental exams and dental cleanings every 6 months. Over time, the plaque irritates the gum tissue, causing them to become inflamed and potentially causing them to bleed.
If left untreated, patients develop periodontitis, which is when the plaque hardens into tartar, which can’t be removed with brushing. Tartar forms a bacteria colony that continuously irritates the surrounding bone and gum tissue, which causes the gums to pull away from the teeth, creating pockets.
As they become more infected, the pockets get deeper, causing the bone and gum to pull away from the teeth and ultimately causing the teeth to fall out. As your body attempts to fight off the infection, it created enzymes that attack the gum tissue and bone. While you can treat gingivitis on your own, once it advances to periodontitis, you need professional help from the team at Clarksburg Dental.
While there are obvious signs of the progression of periodontitis, most of the symptoms are painless. Some of the obvious signs that you may have gum disease are:
Dr. Edmund Liu or Dr. Chung Lin will use a laser no bigger than a few human hairs to target the affected area. This is a fairly simple process.
The typical follow-up instructions for LANAP treatment include:
The cost of this treatment option varies, though it’s typically comparable to traditional gum surgery. On average, LANAP treatment costs $1,000 to $4,000. Your dental insurance should cover at least a portion of this, if not, we do offer financing options. Just ask our friendly office staff for more information.
The cost depends on several factors, including:
If you need full-mouth LANAP surgery, you can expect a price tag between $4,000 and $15,000.
LANAP gum surgery is an FDA-approved treatment for gum disease. It has been used for almost 30 years. Traditional gum surgery, also known as flap surgery, has been used for much longer and is typically the “go-to”- but both options are effective and loved by many dental experts.
It is important to note that some professionals prefer LANAP over other options because some research indicates that it’s more effective. On the other hand, some of the other research is in favor of traditional methods.
Either way, we will be more than happy to schedule a consultation so that we can sit down with you and evaluate your condition and discuss your options. We put our patients first and believe that you should be informed before making a decision.
LANAP is a fairly straightforward procedure- but it comes with a variety of benefits over traditional gum disease treatment, such as:
One of the primary reasons that patients avoid gum disease treatment is the thought that the dentist is going to use a scalpel to gut their gums and stitches to hold the gums in place after the procedure. However, LANAP allows us to treat your gum disease without either of these things.
Gum disease causes gums to recede. The team at Clarksburg Dental doesn’t want to make that problem worse by removing more gum tissue than necessary. LANAP allows us to target the diseased gum tissue with a laser beam approximately the width of a few human hairs. The diseased tissue is darker than the healthy tissue, so it heats up and is destroyed faster. This allows us to leave behind healthy tissue so that you can heal.
One of the biggest issues when it comes to traditional gum disease treatment is making sure that all bacteria has been removed. If the bacteria is not removed, the gum disease will make a comeback. LANAP kills the bacteria in the gum pockets, which encourages healing.
If you undergo traditional treatment for your gum disease, your gums may not grow back without a gum graft. On the other hand, with LANAP, your gums are much more likely to grow back. Even if you cannot see the growth, the bone under the gums and the periodontal ligament that attaches the tooth to the bone will likely be restored.
Since LANAP uses a laser beam to target diseased tissue, it’s a much more comfortable process than traditional surgery. Many of our patients at Clarksburg Dental agree.
There is a lot of bleeding with traditional gum disease surgery- which is one of the reasons it is so unpopular. After all, no one wants to undergo a procedure that will be painful and cause a lot of bleeding. Since LANAP only targets diseased tissue, there is minimal damage to healthy tissue and blood vessels. Also, the laser causes a special blood clot that stops bleeding.
The blood clot created by the laser binds the gum to the tooth and serves as a support foundation for the body to create new gum tissue. This reduces recovery time significantly compared to traditional surgery.
While there are a lot of benefits to LANAP treatment, there are some cases where it’s not the right choice. At Clarksburg Dental, we want to help you make an informed decision, therefore some of the drawbacks to this treatment option include:
If your gum disease is advanced, this may not be the best option for you. Depending on the severity, we may recommend an entirely different treatment altogether or we may recommend using LANAP in addition to another treatment.
While most insurance companies do cover at least a portion- if not the full cost of laser periodontal treatment, some do not cover anything. This option can be expensive if you are paying out of pocket for your treatment. If this is the case, we do offer financing through Compassionate Finance. This allows everyone to access affordable dental care. You can choose the payment plan that works best for you with flexible terms and interest rates. The approval process is quick and easy. Everyone qualifies, all you need is an active bank account.
If you have been diagnosed with gum disease or believe you may have gum disease, schedule your consultation with Dr. Edmund Liu or Dr. Chung Lin today. We will evaluate your condition and determine if LANAP treatment is right for you. If we believe that it is the best solution for you, our friendly office staff will determine your insurance coverage and we will get you scheduled for treatment.
We are located on Crystal Rock Drive in Germantown, Maryland. Our hours are Monday through Thursday 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM to accommodate our patients who work full-time. We look forward to serving you.
FAQ’s on LANAPLANAP does not specifically re-grow gums, but it does leave behind a healthy environment that is conducive for gum regeneration
LANAP does not specifically re-grow bone, but it does leave behind a healthy environment that does encourage the re-growth of bone.
Studies have shown positive results following LANAP surgery, including less tooth loss, compared to traditional gum surgery. Patients also experience more new tissue attachments between bone and gums after treatment, as well as gum regeneration.
Research also indicates that LANAP treatment is successful over the long term, with less recurrence of periodontal disease compared to patients treated with traditional methods, such as flap surgery.
This is primarily due to the fact that the laser gets rid of the bacteria that cause gum disease. Another factor is that the bone and tooth roots are protected due to the re-growth of healthy tissue. Finally, since healing time is less painful and faster than with traditional treatments, patients find it easier to be successful with their dental care at home to prevent future gum disease.
Healing from LANAP takes some time. There are several stages.
The first stage takes 3 days. During this time, patients must stick to a liquid diet to keep from dislodging the clots. In addition, the surgical site should not be brushed, and patients should be careful with the rest of their teeth as well.
On days 4 through 7, patients may consume soft foods, but still avoid brushing the surgical site.
On day 8, patients can begin consuming soft solid foods, if “white stuff” that was applied to the base of the tooth after the procedure has worn off.
After 10 days, patients can begin brushing and get back to a fairly normal diet. However, it’s still a good idea to stick to foods that will be gentle on teeth and gums for at least one month.
As the area heals and regenerates, patients may have some tooth sensitivity and discomfort. Make sure to schedule regular follow-up visits to be sure that everything is healing properly.
