Why Laser Surgery Is the Better Option
When you have periodontal disease, you are going to need to have your receding gums treated. The bacteria causing the gum disease has gone out of reach of a toothbrush and floss and only a dentist can help you stop it now. Treatment from a dentist with laser gum surgery will stop the disease and prevent further damage to your gums and teeth.
What Is Laser Gum Surgery?
Periodontal disease causes the gums to recede. This exposes the roots of your teeth, making them more susceptible to developing cavities and becoming infected. Restoring your gums to be able to cover the roots of your teeth is needed, and laser gum surgery can bring it about.
The laser used to treat your periodontal disease is called LANAP, or Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure. This dental laser is approved by the FDA just for the purpose of treating periodontal disease.
The LANAP laser is used in a three-fold way. First, it is used to cut the gums. Secondly, it is used to destroy the bacteria causing periodontal disease. Without this step, it will return quickly and continue to damage your gums. The third thing the laser is used for is to seal the tissue and prevent bleeding.
Who Should Go for Laser Gum Surgery?
People who have periodontal disease are candidates for the laser gum treatment. Nearly anyone can receive the treatment because of the laser. The use of this device eliminates bleeding, making it possible for people with diabetes, heart problems, hemophilia, and even people with various medications able to receive gum treatment with the laser. Infection from bacteria is also greatly reduced because the laser light kills it.
The Procedure
In traditional gum surgery for periodontitis, the patient must first be given general anesthesia. This is because the treatment is normally painful. The surgeon will need to use a scalpel to cut away the gum tissue. This step is necessary because the surgeon needs to get access to the teeth to scrape off the bacteria, remove damaged tissue and smooth the teeth.
With the traditional procedure, some good tissue is also going to be removed. There will also be considerable bleeding in the process, and there is a strong likelihood of inflammation.
When the laser treatment for gum disease is used, the surgery is performed in two steps, each session is two hours long. Each side of the mouth is completed at separate times, about one week apart. Most of the time, no anesthetic is necessary.
The first step with the laser is to cut away the infected gums that are closest to the root of the teeth. This is accomplished by placing the tip of the laser into the periodontal pocket. The laser light only destroys infected gum tissue because it is attracted to darker tissue and leaves the healthy tissue alone.
At the same time, the light of the laser will kill the bacteria that are in the pocket. The laser is also used to loosen the calculus that has formed on the teeth. This step may require the use of standard dental tools to complete it and to ensure that the surfaces of the teeth are smooth. After that, the laser is used to seal the tissue so that it does not bleed.
If teeth have become loose due to the destruction of the gums, splints may be used to help secure the teeth in their proper position as the gums and bone heal. The splints will help the teeth to heal faster.
Recovery and Aftercare
There is usually very little time necessary to recover from the surgery. While there may be some soreness of the gums, any pain that you might feel can usually be treated with OTC pain medications.
Advantages and Complications
Laser gum surgery is more efficient than traditional surgery in several ways. The light from the LANAP laser is able to differentiate between healthy tissue and unhealthy tissue. This leaves the healthy tissue intact while destroying unhealthy tissue at the same time. Another advantage is that because a scalpel is unnecessary, it is not only less painful, but it also enables recovery to take place much faster. No gum tissue is pulled away from the teeth for the procedure, and it is considered non-surgical.
How Much Does Laser Gum Surgery Cost?
The cost of laser gum surgery will vary based on what the dentist wants to charge. Costs can expect to range between $175 and $300 per quadrant. It will probably be comparable to what you might pay for a dental implant – but saving your teeth before that becomes necessary is the better and cheaper option.
Saving your teeth before they are lost to periodontal disease is better than replacing them later. If you are ready to consider laser gum surgery, you can get treated by Dr. Kumar T. Vadivel, DDS, FDS RCS, MSMBA, a Board-certified Periodontist. He has offices in the Carrollton, Cedar Hill, Dallas and Grapevine, TX areas. For more information about his gum treatment services, or to set up an appointment, you can call his office today at 214-731-0123
