If you have been told you need scalpel and suture gum surgery, there's a laser alternative you need to learn about. If you're like 100 million other Americans, you could be one of 75% of Americans who have periodontal disease, the major cause of tooth loss in adults. Periodontal disease starts off as plaque, an opaque film which eventually hardens, forming tartar or calculus.
The way to repair the damage is to get rid of the infection and close up the pockets. Until now, that often meant surgery and sutures. But today, we offer soft-tissue laser periodontal therapy, a patient-friendly, minimally-invasive procedure that's a great improvement over standard gum surgery for mild to moderate periodontitis.
First, we will perform a thorough oral examination to determine the extent of periodontal disease in your mouth. Next, we will take X-rays to make a definitive diagnosis and confirm the extent of the infection. When you return for your first laser treatment, you'll receive a local anaesthetic to eliminate any possible discomfort. A general anaesthetic isn't necessary, because soft-tissue laser periodontal therapy is much less traumatic than conventional gum surgery. A tiny laser fiber (about the thickness of three hairs) is inserted between the tooth and the gum, and the infection is cleared away. The procedure is fast: It takes just two or three 1-hour sessions. Your dentist will treat one half of your mouth at each session...and you'll probably feel good enough to go right back to work afterwards.
WHY IS Laser Assisted Periodontal Therapy better?
- There's much less discomfort than with standard surgery -- during and after the procedure. Standard surgery, usually performed by a periodontist, may however still be necessary for more advanced forms of periodontal disease.
- It takes less time than traditional surgery. All it takes is two 1-hour visits to the dentist and one or two follow up visits. Traditional surgery requires four sessions of about one hour each, with subsequent visits for suture removal and additional check-ups.
- We will probably recommend a soft diet for a day or two, and common sense should prevail, but in most cases, patients feel good enough to eat anything they want right after the procedure.
- Following traditional surgery, recovery can take between to 2-4 weeks during which patients can experience considerable pain and swelling, where they may be restricted to liquid or soft diets.
- There's less than 24 hour recovery period, so you won't lose time from work.
- Laser Assisted Periodontal Therapy (LAPT) is safe for patients with health concerns such as diabetes, heart disease, or those taking medications such as Coumadin, Valtrex or Cyclosporin. It is not intended for more advanced periodontal problems. In these situations, referral to a periodontal specialist may still be necessary.
