August 3, 2017
On August 6, periodontists and dentists across the United States celebrate oral hygiene and health. It’s National Fresh Breath Day. If you suffer from gum disease, you may worry about having bad breath. Fortunately, there is a comfortable treatment that doesn’t involve cutting the gums and lets you get back to work the same day. It’s called Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure or LANAP. It’s a laser surgery that is only minimally invasive. Here are the steps of the procedure:
- You are given a local anesthetic. Then, we measure the depth of the periodontal pockets to determine how much loss of attachment has occurred.
- The laser is then passed over your teeth. It targets the infected tissue and bacteria, not healthy tissue.
- Although the laser doesn’t actually remove calculus from the teeth, it makes it easier for the ultrasonic scaler to remove it. This is done before the second pass of the laser.
- Once the calculus is off the teeth, the laser is passed over the teeth and gums again. This time, it is to stimulate bone and tissue regeneration. The laser also helps the blood form a tight seal around the tooth to promote healing. Typically, the gum line will remain intact because only the unhealthy tissue is removed.
- The tissue is compressed against the tooth to close the pockets. Unlike traditional treatment, there are no stitches put in place.
- Your bite will be checked to see if any adjustments need to be made.
Most patients do not require any prescription pain medicine and are able to return to their daily routine almost immediately following LANAP. The surgery does not harm the healthy tissue or the bone, which means you experience less pain during and after the surgery. This treatment can often save teeth which might have needed extraction without treatment. Contact Dr. Akin, periodontist in Nashville, TN, for gum disease treatment and to get rid of bad breath for good!
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