Laser Assisted Periodontal Therapy

• Laser Assisted Periodontal Therapy, or LAPT for short, is the latest advancement in Periodontal Infection Removal. The laser uses a specific wavelength that targets and destroys diseased tissue and bacteria from periodontal pockets.
• The precision of laser dentistry allows us to remove only the diseased tissue. This results in less post operative discomfort and faster recovery time.
• In Laser Assisted Periodontal Therapy (LAPT) there is no cutting away of the gums or bone as in traditional treatment. The laser uses a unique combination of laser energy and water to provide gentler, more precise treatment that conserves healthy tissue and minimizes pain and discomfort.
• There are so many reasons why it is beneficial, one can see why dentists use it throughout. The following are some of these benefits.

Laser Assisted Periodontal Therapy is:

More Comfortable (With Little or No Pain)

• In addition to the laser’s increased accuracy and shortened treatment time, patients, one for one, prefer the over traditional treatment because it eliminates or minimizes any discomfort (pain) during and after therapy.
• The #1 reason why patients delay needed trips to the dentist is not wanting to experience the pain related to traditional dentistry. The LAPT therapy is minimally invasive and relatively painless, therefore there is often no need for dental shots or anxiety.

Treatment Itself Is:

• Little or No Procedure Discomfort

The #1 reason why patients delay needed trips to the dentist is not wanting to experience the pain, sensitivity and dental shots related to traditional dentistry. The LAPT therapy is minimally invasive and relatively painless, therefore there is little or no need for dental shots or anxiety.

• More Precise

The provides pinpoint accuracy and complete cleaning of diseased tissue without damaging the surrounding healthy tissue. This promotes healing and allows you to keep your natural teeth.

• Takes Fewer Appointments

It takes about half the number of visits of traditional surgical treatment. All it takes is two 2-hour visits to the office and two follow up visits. Traditional surgery requires four sessions of about one hour each, with subsequent visits for suture removal and additional check-ups.

• Needs No Drilling (No Drill Noise, Vibration or Pain)

The replaces the need for dental drills in periodontal treatment by doing the same work gently without the heat, vibration and pressure of dental drilling. It is the heat, vibration and pressure that cause pain. The laser is more accurate and quicker without the annoying whine of the drill. All of this makes for a much more comfortable experience.

• Has Fewer Restrictions (Medically or Medications)

Is safe for patients with health concerns. In addition, patients taking blood thinning medications (e.g. Coumadin, aspirin, Plavix) need not go off of these medications to receive treatment. It is also more indicated for smokers as gum recession is less prevalent in laser dentistry.

After Laser Therapy

• More Comfortable Recovery (Little or No Pain)

During recovery, there is little or no discomfort, sensitivity, swelling or bleeding This is because of the precision of the therapy, the sterilization and sealing effect of the laser. There is little need for post-therapy pain medications as there can be with traditional periodontal surgery.

• Faster Recovery

Most patients find that they recovery in less than 24-hours, so you won't lose time from work. In most cases, patients feel good right after the procedure.

• Promotes Tissue Re-Growth

With LAPT, your body naturally wants to repair itself because it removes diseased tissue while preserving your healthy tissue and your previously infected areas are sealed. Healthy tissue is then given a chance to grow back.

On the final step of the procedure, the laser is applied once more to clean and sterilize the area. The laser is then used to seal it with a blood clot. This hinders re-growth of infection and promotes an environment where the gum and bone can regenerate.

There are many LAPT cases where a patient’s infected areas were dramatically reduced and bone re-growth stabilized the teeth.

• Consistently Good Results

The minimally invasive LAPT treatment assures that you get consistently good results. It eliminates your periodontal bacteria and promotes re-growth of the surrounding tissues, giving you a health natural smile that can last a lifetime. LAPT does not result in the loss of healthy gum or bone tissue as almost always occurs in traditional surgery. Loss of healthy tissue can expose your tooth roots leading to more sensitive teeth and a greater chance of tooth decay.

• More Cosmetic Results

One of the unfortunate aspects of traditional periodontal surgery is that the gums need to be cut away to expose the bottom of periodontal pockets where periodontal bacterial grow. This procedure can lead to gum recession and exposed roots which can make your teeth look unsightly.

Periodontal therapy with the enhances the appearance of the gums by preserving healthy gum tissue and reducing periodontal pockets without gum recession. The laser can also be used for a variety of cosmetic periodontal procedures such as cosmetic crown lengthening (to give a fuller smile) and gum re-contouring (to treat a “gummy smile”).