Laser technology now offers a less invasive way to fight gum disease.
What is LANAP?
Standing for Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure, LANAP is a minimally invasive procedure that treats periodontal (gum) disease with the use of a highly specialized laser. It is the only laser periodontal therapy technique approved by the FDA.
Why You Might Need LANAP
Gum disease is an infection of the gum tissue that affects 1 in 5 Americans. If left untreated, gum disease can cause the loss of teeth, permanent bone loss, and can contribute to systemic health issues like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
The goal of LANAP is to stop the progression of gum disease before it causes further damage to the gum tissues and bone. Without treatment, gum disease usually gets progressively worse.
How LANAP Works
LANAP uses a laser to selectively target and remove only diseased tissue and leave the healthy gum tissue. Your dentist will begin by using a probe to determine the space between your gum tissue and teeth (called periodontal pockets) and identify diseased tissue and areas of bacterial infection. He or she will then use the laser to remove the diseased tissue, the heat of the laser killing the bacteria.
The Perks of LANAP
Before LANAP, the only treatment for moderate to severe periodontitis was traditional surgery. This method involved cutting the gums near the teeth, peeling back the gums, cleaning the root surface of the teeth, recontouring the bone, and then suturing the gums back into position. LANAP offers an alternative to this, treating gum disease without scalpels or sutures. Using digitally controlled pulse durations down to microseconds (0.000001 seconds), it delivers a precise amount of energy for treatment.
