4 Benefits of Laser Gum Surgery

If you find yourself suffering from moderate or severe periodontal disease that is negatively affecting your life, you might want to talk to your dentist or periodontist about laser gum surgery.

In the past, the primary method for removing infected areas from the gums has been cutting around them with a blade, or scalpel. Like any surgery, there are risks involved with traditional gum surgery – from anesthesia complications to blood clots and other bleeding issues. Laser periodontal therapy, however, does not pose any of those risks and is an effective and viable option for many patients.

You might be wondering how exactly it works. During LANAP, which stands for Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure, a laser light is used to find and remove harmful bacteria and diseased gum tissue from around the teeth. The laser is also used to clean the gum pockets.

Here are four benefits of opting for laser treatment over traditional gum surgery:

Less tissue is removed than with traditional periodontal surgery.

One of the greatest advantages of laser periodontal surgery is how accurate and precise it is compared to the traditional surgical method. The goal is to keep as much healthy gum tissue as possible while removing the diseased portions only. This also allows the periodontist to maintain your gum height, which looks more aesthetically pleasing and helps protect your teeth roots.

Laser gum surgery boasts a considerably faster healing time.

With laser treatment, because there is no bleeding, there is also no need for stitches. You are able to eat and speak faster than if you were to “go under the knife” – about 24 hours recovery time versus two to four weeks with scalpel and suture surgery.

Patients experience less pain than with traditional gum surgery.

Gums inflicted with gingivitis or periodontal disease are naturally sensitive. Especially when a blade is used to cut out larger portions of gum, pain understandably becomes an issue – if not during (thanks to anesthesia) then afterward. Luckily, laser gum surgery is less invasive and, as a result, patients report less post-op discomfort.

There is no need for general anesthesia.

During traditional surgery, you are typically given a dose of general anesthesia to relax your body and take away any pain that might otherwise occur during the procedure. Since laser therapy simply works by pointing a light in affected areas of your mouth and gums, only local anesthesia is used to numb only the areas that might be affected by the doctor’s cleaning. This is a major improvement over regular periodontal surgery because when you undergo general anesthesia you are at risk of serious complications such as heart attack or stroke.

Laser gum surgery is certainly not the only way to achieve a healthy mouth after gum disease, but it is a new, exciting alternative to traditional surgery. It goes without saying, the best way to know if laser periodontal surgery is right for you is to consult a periodontist.

Contact us to learn more about the cutting-edge technology and techniques available at Central Florida Periodontics and Implantology.