How Long Does LANAP Laser Treatment Take?
Patients who are suffering from moderate to severe gum disease may want to consider the LANAP laser treatment. While flap surgery is the most common procedure used by dentists to battle periodontitis or gum disease, a growing number of doctors also offer the LANAP protocol as a less-invasive treatment option. Patients who are considering this procedure likely have many questions about what to expect during the surgery and recovery process. Continue reading to learn what is done during the laser surgery and how long patients can expect the treatment to take.
What is the LANAP protocol?
Unlike flap surgery which requires dentists to cut deep into the tissue of a patient’s gums, LANAP requires absolutely no cutting and sewing. Instead, this treatment relies on the use of a PerioLase MVP-7 laser to directly target the infection and harmful bacteria and clean out gum pockets. For this reason, patients are often much more comfortable with having laser surgery done and experience less pain and swelling.
Additionally, with LANAP, patients may avoid a bone graft surgery since the laser stimulates the regeneration of gum tissues. On the day of treatment, patients can expect to rely on local anesthesia and leave with some discomfort and mild pain. Most dentists also recommend a soft diet for about a week following, with no brushing for two to four weeks; a mouthrinse is used instead.
Candidates for LANAP
LANAP can be performed on almost anyone with moderate to severe gum disease. Even patients who are pregnant or on medication such as blood thinners or aspirin can benefit from this type of surgery. Dentists perform multiple X-rays on the patient ahead of time to verify gum disease is present and determine the extent of the issue. If the patient has pockets deeper than 5mm, LANAP may be an option.
Duration of LANAP laser treatment
Most often, dentists perform the LANAP treatment over the course of two sessions that are two to three hours each. Each individual session addresses one half of the mouth. Patients typically have to attend two follow-up visits to ensure the gum is healing correctly. The recovery period is often less than 24 hours, so patients can typically resume their regular duties the same day as the procedure.
Overall, the laser treatment may take just as much time as conventional surgery, which generally takes several sessions and office visits to complete. Additionally, traditional surgery has a recovery period of anywhere from two to four weeks, though many people choose LANAP because they prefer the laser option.
Conclusion
Many patients considering different treatments for gum disease are candidates for LANAP laser treatment. This type of surgery doesn’t require the dentist to cut into the gums using a scalpel, so it may be more appealing to some. Additionally, patients who choose laser treatments can reap other benefits such as less pain and swelling of the gums and the regeneration of the tissue. While being diagnosed with gum disease can be a stressful experience for patients, LANAP can help make the treatment process far less stressful.
Request an appointment here: https://www.casasadobesdentistry.com or call Casas Adobes Dentistry at (520) 365-0559 for an appointment in our Tucson office.
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