Gum Disease Treatment
Do you have red, swollen or sensitive gums? Do you have constant bad breath? Have your gums slightly moved away from the teeth? Do your gums often bleed when brushing? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, there is a good chance that you have periodontal disease.
​
Periodontal disease is the most common form of gum disease. It is caused by bacteria that reside in the oral cavity. Because the bacteria reproduce, plaque or tartar begins to form. If tartar is not cleaned regularly by your dentist, you develop gingivitis (swollen gums that bleed when you brush), and soon, this inflammation may extend to the bone under the gums (periodontal disease).
If untreated it can cause tooth loss. Periodontal disease affects more than 80% of the population. Even more alarming is the fact that the vast majority of people are unaware they are showing the first signs of periodontal disease and visit their dentist only when the disease is already advanced. Periodontal disease is serious because it can be linked to health problems such as: cardiac and respiratory disease, low birth weight in newborn babies, heart attack, stroke, osteoporosis.
​
Laser Treatment for Gum Disease
Dental lasers are playing an increasingly important role in periodontology, providing fast, simple and highly effective treatments for procedures such as closed curettage, gingivoplasty, gum pigmentation removal, crown lengthening, and more.
The LANAP protocol offers a proven, vastly less painful and less invasive treatment. LANAP treatment is typically performed in a dentist’s office under local anesthesia to eliminate any possible discomfort. A tiny laser fiber (about the thickness of three hairs) is inserted between the tooth and the gum, and the infection is cleared away without cutting or stitching of the gums. The tooth roots are then thoroughly cleaned of tartar and plaque, and the laser is used again with a different setting to create a stable, firm blood clot to seal the pocket. The dentist treats one half of the patient’s mouth at each session and most patients are able to drive themselves back to work or home following the procedure