If you are like most people, you probably don’t worry much about periodontal disease. However, gum disease affects about half of all adults in the United States. As soon as plaque and tartar take hold, gum disease might only be a few years away. Here are a few things you should know about gum disease and how Dr. Trujillo can help you to correct long-term damage.
How Periodontal Disease Affects Your Teeth and Gums
Have you ever wondered why your teeth move slightly when you push on them? Although most people figure that teeth are embedded firmly into the jawbone, they are actually held in place by strong ligaments. Unfortunately, periodontal disease can inflame your gums and cause infections that can damage these ligaments, causing tooth loss. However, you don’t have to let a little gum disease destroy your smile. Periodontists can actually use a procedure called LANAP, which stands for Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure, to remove diseased gum tissue and reattach ligaments. Here are a few benefits of LANAP over traditional gum surgery:
Benefits of LANAP
- No Stitches: Unlike traditional gum surgery, which involves cutting into the gums, moving things around, and stitching up the area, LANAP is a stitch-free procedure. This means that you won’t have to worry about breaking incisions open or visiting our office again to have stitches removed.
- No Bleeding: LANAP is performed using powerful, yet gentle, lasers. These lasers cauterize the area while they cut, which means that patients don’t have to deal with any bleeding.
- Less Infection Risk: LANAP lasers also disinfect while they cut, which reduces the chances of infection.
- Quicker Recovery Time: Because patients won’t have to worry about bleeding, stitches, or infections, recovery time is significantly less with LANAP over traditional gum surgery.
What To Expect During LANAP
Before your gum surgery, your periodontist will numb the area to minimize discomfort. After you are numb, the doctor will start working on your teeth and gums. LANAP surgery is typically performed in two separate two-hour sessions. The procedure takes a long time because your doctor will be carefully reattaching ligaments and dissecting away diseased tissue. Although it might sound intimidating, most patients report that the procedure is painless.
If you think that you could benefit from laser-assisted gum surgery, contact our office to make an appointment with Dr. Trujillo today.
