If you’ve been told you have periodontal (gum) disease, you’re not alone. Millions of adults in the U.S. currently have some form of gum disease. The main cause of periodontal disease is plaque, but other factors affect the health of your gums, including: • Age • Whether you smoke or use tobacco • Genetics •Read More

 

by

on June 7, 2018

Benefits of Using LANAP to Treat Gum Disease

If you’ve been told you have periodontal (gum) disease, you’re not alone. Millions of adults in the U.S. currently have some form of gum disease. The main cause of periodontal disease is plaque, but other factors affect the health of your gums, including:

• Age

• Whether you smoke or use tobacco

• Genetics

• Stress

• Medications

• Poor nutrition

Periodontal diseases range from simple gum inflammation to serious disease resulting in major damage to the soft tissue and bone that support the teeth. Whether your gum disease is stopped, slowed, or gets worse depends a great deal on how well you care for your teeth and gums every day, from this point forward.

 

The Dangers of Untreated Gum Disease

When gum disease is not treated, it can advance to periodontitis and inflammation around the tooth. In periodontitis, gums pull away from the teeth and form spaces, called pockets, that become infected. The body’s immune system fights the bacteria as the plaque spreads and grows below the gum line. Bacterial toxins and the body’s natural response to infection start to break down the bone and connective tissue holding teeth in place.

If not treated, the bones, gums, and tissue that support the teeth are destroyed and your teeth may eventually have to be removed.

Do you suffer from deep pockets between your teeth and gums? Have dentists told you the only option is traditional surgery? It’s simply not true! There’s now a more advanced, non-invasive treatment called LANAP!

 

Drawbacks of Traditional Gum Disease Treatments

Traditional gum disease treatments included surgery, which was a painful option for patients. With traditional surgery, a scalpel is used to cut the gum tissue so it can be pulled back, allowing the periodontist to remove the plaque and tartar from the tooth.

After cleaning the tooth and removing any diseased tissue, the remaining healthy tissue is sutured back into place. This method, however, can create further gum recession and sensitive teeth due to root exposure.

Traditional surgery for gum disease is invasive, painful, and requires considerable healing time after surgery.

 

What is LANAP?

The LANAP Protocol is the only FDA-approved laser treatment for periodontal disease and has many benefits when compared to traditional gum surgery. This method offers patients a less painful, more successful treatment because there is no need for cutting or sutures.

At the start of your LANAP treatment, the doctor will give you local anesthesia to make the area numb. Then, a tiny laser that is no thicker than three human hairs, is inserted in between the gum and tooth and is used to clear away any infection or disease.

After the area is clear of disease and decay, the roots of the tooth will be cleaned of any tartar and plaque. The laser will then be used again on a different setting to seal the pocket.

 

What are the Benefits of LANAP?

LANAP and LAR (Laser Assisted Regeneration) are the only scientifically, research-proven methodologies that result in true periodontal regeneration, new bone growth, and gum tissue reattachment.

The treatment is minimally invasive and does not require a blade or sutures, offering very little recession and pain for the patient. The laser uses a particular wavelength that tells the difference between diseased and healthy tissue, meaning it’s very safe and selective.

This is the first time periodontists can remove diseased tissue and bacteria from gums without causing damage to healthy tissue. There is less pain and less downtime, less recession of the gum line, and less time needed to heal when compared with traditional gum surgery.

The LANAP protocol also has better long-term results and is more predictable when it comes to bone regeneration and connective reattachment of the treated tissue. The laser stimulates the bone that surrounds the root of the tooth and has been proven to create regeneration. In many cases, this can save teeth that might have been previously extracted due to bone loss.

LANAP can even reverse the effects of periodontal disease and the patient’s gum health will continue to improve over time.

 

Learn More About LANAP

If you’ve been told you need traditional periodontal therapy, we’d be happy to determine if the LANAP Protocol is an option for you! To schedule an appointment with our periodontist, please give us a call or make an appointment online!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Dr. Craig Spodak is a third generation dentist who joined his father’s practice in Delray Beach, Fla. after graduating from Tufts University in 1998. His dream was to change the way patients experience dental care and he developed a new vision for the modern dental practice with a goal to deliver comprehensive dental care in a singular, all inclusive practice. He created one of the world’s only LEED Gold Certified dental facilities, which boasts not only a team of the finest dental and medical professionals from all disciples of the field, but also a holistic environment that comforts patients. Dr. Craig is an expert lecturer for Invisalign and Spodak Dental Group is one of the few Top 1 Percent providers of Invisalign in the world.


You Might also like

spodak dental minimum wage increase

The Spodak Dental Group Raises Minimum Wage!

In accordance with the passing of Florida’s Amendment 2 in November 2020, which increased the minimum wage and amended Florida’s Constitution, the Spodak Dental Group will raise its minimum wage for all employees. However, instead of matching the state-mandated increases, they are exceeding them!   The Spodak Dental Group is the first dental office inRead More

team picture spodak

The Spodak Dental Group Transitions to Four-Day Work Week

In an effort to take the very best care of each team member, and provide the best human experience possible, the Spodak Dental Group transitioned to a four-day work week in 2021. After the turmoil of a 2020 year filled with the uncertainty, stress and additional regulations due to COVID-19, the family-owned company realized thatRead More

Spodak Dental Group

Reopening After COVID-19: Keeping Your Safety a Priority

  It’s been a trying time for everyone during the Coronavirus pandemic, but the Spodak Dental Group team is ready to reopen and serve our patients. After weeks of being a part of the solution and not the problem, we will begin seeing patients for routine dental care on Monday, May 11. While we areRead More

Spodak Dental Group’s COVID-19 Update

  Based on recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Dental Association (ADA) and Gov. Ron DeSantis, we are making temporary changes to the way our practice operates. As always, our main priority is the health and safety of our patients and our team members, and we are doing everythingRead More

Spodak Dental Group Offers Minimally-Invasive Laser Treatment for Gum Disease

Spodak Dental Group now offers a patient-friendly outpatient treatment for gum disease, the LANAP® protocol. Gum disease is as an infection of the tissues that support the teeth, and impacts more than 50% of American adults. The LANAP® protocol is the only FDA-cleared laser treatment proven to regenerate bone loss to gum disease without cuttingRead More

American Association of Dental Office Management Recognizes Our Very Own Erika Pusillo

  Erika Pusillo, Practice Optimizer here at Spodak Dental Group was recently recognized as a Fellow in the American Association of Dental Office Management (AADOM). It’s an amazing honor and we can’t think of anyone who deserves it more! This award recognizes outstanding professional and educational achievements in dental practice administration and is awarded onlyRead More