Periodontal Disease
It's an infection of the gums. It starts out as plaque, an opaque film on the teeth that hardens to form calculus or tartar. As tartar accumulates, it harbors bacteria which attacks the soft tissue around the gums. This early stage of gum disease is called Gingivitis. Symptoms include red swollen gums, bleeding, bad breath and, sometimes, an unpleasant taste in the mouth. Untreated, Gingivitis becomes Periodontitis. At this severe stage, bacteria destroys both the gums and the supporting bone structure Pockets form where teeth are separated from the gums and surrounding bones. Left untreated, Periodontitis eventually results in tooth loss.
Why is it better?
- No bleeding or swelling
- Minimal to no pain
- No incisions or stitches
- No gum eliminate
 Laser Periodontal Therapy
Laser Periodontal Therapy™ is a laser based technique for the treatment of periodontal disease using the Millennium Dental Technologies, Inc., PerioLase® Laser. Fear of periodontal treatment vanishes when patients find out no scalpel or sutures will be used. Patient friendly laser treatment gets patients to agree to the treatment they need and continue with the follow-up care that is prescribed.
Our office is one of the first in the area to offer Laser Periodontal Therapy for the treatment of gingivitis and/or periodontitis.
How It Works
Tartar, associated with inflamed and bleeding gums, is removed from the root surface of the tooth using an ultrasonic scaler and small instruments.
Then, a small amount of light energy from a laser is directed through a tiny fiber, which is gently placed between the gum and tooth. This light energy removes a tiny amount of diseased tissue and aids in reducing the bacteria associated with the disease. After the area is thoroughly cleaned, the body can heal the area naturally.
Virtually Painless
Although the procedure itself can be virtually painless, we may anesthetize the area for the patient's comfort. In this way we can precisely direct the laser for treatment. Post-procedure discomfort is typically minimal and of short duration.
Treatment Time
Initial treatment is focused on scaling and the use of small instruments to remove the tartar. Then, the laser portion of the treatment is performed and normally only takes a few minutes. Depending on the severity of the patient's periodontal disease, treatment may be accomplished in one office visit or in multiple visits. The estimated treatment time is reviewed with patients when we discuss their treatment plan.
Benefits of LPT
LPT uses a special kind of laser called the PerioLase®, invented by two dentists in Cerritos, California. Dr. Robert Gregg and Dr. Delwin McCarthy spent years developing a better way to treat gum disease. The laser fiber, which is only about as wide as a couple of human hairs, is inserted between the gum tissue and your tooth, where it painlessly removes the noxious elements that cause gum disease.
Number of Treatments
LPT doesn't take much time at all -- just two two-hour sessions versus eight to ten one-hour sessions with surgery. You don't have to worry about bleeding, stitches or post-treatment infection, because your gums haven't been cut.
Post Surgery Recovery Time
The sense of recovery is immediate, due to the laser's ability to seal blood vessels, lymphatics and nerve endings. Of course, your tissue needs time to recover, regenerate and heal over the course of time, but after LPT, you can drive your car, go back to work, or do anything else you like.
Insurance / Treatment Cost
The good news is, LPT is actually less expensive -- by about 20% -- than periodontal surgery. Dental costs vary around the country, so find a PerioLase® dentist in your area for exact figures. There is no special code for our therapy, so if your insurance company will reimburse for conventional surgery, they will reimburse for LASER PERIODONTAL THERAPY.
Typically we use the same billing codes as traditional gum surgery and the laser treatment is generally no more expensive than traditional surgery. There are other factors which may affect the cost, such as the severity of the periodontal disease, and how many teeth are involved. Many insurance plans pay only for a portion of this treatment. Patients should discuss their payment options with the dental office personnel as we offer financing for this treatment.
The dramatically increased comfort for our patients made the new system attractive to our office. We do encourage patients to take care of the need now to reduce further damage to their gums, teeth and bone. |
