If you suffer from gum disease, you may be understandably averse to going to the dentist. For many, this often means undergoing another maintenance procedure or a traumatic ‘flap’ surgery, with long and painful recovery times.
There are also a range of day-to-day complications associated with gum disease, which include (but aren’t limited to):
These symptoms can be mild to severe, but they’ll likely have you considering alternative treatments — preferably those that are minimally invasive. In this article, we’ll cover the basics of one such treatment: LANAP.
What is LANAP?
You might be wondering: what does LANAP stand for? LANAP is an acronym that stands for Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure.
To be clear, LANAP makes use of a laser housed within a hair-like fibre that is inserted between the gum and the tooth.
The laser used in the LANAP procedure is known as the PerioLase® MVP-7™. The FDA has acknowledged this procedure as the only current treatment for gum disease that can encourage the growth and regeneration of gum tissue, as well as bone tissue.
Does LANAP regenerate bone?
Well, not in the sense that you may picture it. It won’t necessarily grow you any new teeth, but the LANAP method is non-invasive and will specifically create conditions that are favourable for the reversal of periodontal disease. LANAP has been clinically proven to aid in the regeneration of the alveolar bone and the periodontal ligament.
What does it treat?
The LANAP procedure treats gum disease and the complications associated with it.
LANAP is designed to not only target the infected tissues, but also encourage regeneration of them.
How does the process work?
By use of the specific laser named above, the wavelengths emitted interact uniquely with the tissues in your mouth.
Usually performed under anesthesia, the laser located within the fibre will assist in scaling down plaque and other infectious material in tandem with manual scaling tools. The laser targets infected tissue and is used to form a clot of regenerative cells that is deposited into the pocket between the tooth and gum and sealed.
This process is a direct contrast to the typical flap surgery used to treat gum disease. This procedure will only remove existing infected tissue, in addition to causing trauma to the mouth (that will take weeks to recover from). Simply put, it involves shaving down the bone so that the plaque will have less room to grow.
Conversely, LANAP goes above and beyond by preventing and working to reverse gum disease.
How long is the recovery period?
As the procedure is non-invasive, the recovery period for LANAP is minimal. The estimated turnaround time is as low as 24 hours, with many being able to drive themselves home after their appointment.
The procedure has minimal pain and is free of external ingredients that stimulate growth, using only the technology of the PerioLase® MVP-7™ to do this.
Reach out to the team at Dentistry at Consilium – your Toronto LANAP experts!
If you suffer from gum disease and are looking for a non-invasive solution, contact our dental professionals at Dentistry at Consilium today. We are happy to sit down for an in-depth, personalized consultation and are more than able to answer any questions you may have about the revolutionary LANAP technology.
Call us at (416) 296-1080 or fill out our convenient contact form today!
300 Consilium Place #103
Scarborough, ON M1H 3G2