What is Laser Gum Surgery?

Periodontal disease is the natural progression of gum disease. This dental condition starts out as gingivitis and then progresses to become the more serious periodontitis. If left untreated, this becomes advanced periodontitis, which causes teeth to become loose and even fall out.

The primary cause of gum disease is a lack of proper care of the teeth. Ordinary brushing and flossing of the teeth helps remove the bacteria (plaque) from the surfaces of the teeth that cause cavities and inflammation of the gums. When performed regularly, it helps to protect your teeth and gums.

When the plaque is not removed, it will harden over time and form tartar. The bacteria fill the tartar, which forms above and below the gum line. Whenever the bacteria come in contact with sugar it produces acid. The acid erodes the enamel on your teeth and also causes an immune system reaction in your gums. This produces inflammation, which starts gum disease. As the bacteria and the immune system interact with each other, the tissue in your gums, as well as the structures that support your teeth, and your jawbone, are slowly eroded away.

As the inflammation continues to spread, the damage to your teeth and gums becomes worse. Gum pockets will form on your gums as they recede, and the bacteria will build colonies inside. The pockets protect them from the reach of a toothbrush and floss.

Once it reaches this stage, only the help of a special dentist (periodontist) will enable you to get rid of periodontitis. Periodontal surgery is necessary to eradicate the disease and save the teeth. As the bacteria continue to increase, your teeth will become loose, and will eventually fall out. Once periodontitis reaches a certain stage, it usually becomes necessary to pull all the teeth.

There are several methods of treatment for periodontal gum disease. The standard treatment – until recently – has been scaling and root planing (SRP). This method involves a dentist using hand tools to scrape the bacteria out of the pockets and to smooth out the rough spots on the teeth so that the bacteria cannot easily return. Gum flap surgery involves cutting and flapping back the gum tissue for cleaning and then stitching it back in place.

Laser gum surgery is the new technology on the block that simplifies the whole process. The laser, LANAP, is FDA-approved for the purpose of treating periodontal disease. It removes the infected tissue. Once this step is completed, the periodontist will conduct scaling and root planing, often using an ultrasound device.

The treatment procedure is usually completed within two two-hour sessions. The traditional procedure would require multiple visits to a dentist that would last up to a year.

A strong advantage of laser gum surgery that most people are sure to like is that the recovery time afterward is almost non-existent. Many people are able to go back to work immediately after the surgery is complete; others may need a 24-hour period to recuperate.

After the surgery, the gums will form small clots. The clots can easily be removed, so you should not brush or floss at all until the dentist instructs you to do so.

Eating is also generally not a problem. A diet of soft foods might be recommended for a couple of days, but some patients will feel healthy enough to eat anything right after the surgery.

There are several strong advantages of laser gum treatment that really make it the preferred gum disease treatment. They include:

• Superior bacteria removal – the laser kills all bacteria in the pockets because it can select between the good and bad bacteria
• No anesthesia needed in most cases – unless you want it. Traditional surgery is painful and usually requires general anesthesia.
• Superior surgical results – the laser can distinguish between good and bad bacteria and enables keeping more good tissue intact. Very little bleeding and no stitches are needed.
• Superior preventive action – the laser helps to seal the pocket making, it is harder for bacteria to attach to the area.
• Superior healing – bone and ligament tissue are helping to regenerate by the laser.

Even though the treatment can completely remove the bacteria causing gum disease, it is still necessary to maintain good oral health. Regular dental checkups are needed to ensure that it does not return.

When it comes to how long the procedure lasts, as many as 98 percent of the patients still have good control of periodontitis after the five-year mark.

Nearly anyone with periodontitis is a good candidate for laser gum surgery. This includes patients who may have various health issues that would not make them eligible for traditional treatments, such as those with diabetes, hemophilia, HIV, people on blood thinners, and more.