FDA cleared Laser Therapy for the treatment of Gum Disease
Gum Disease has a direct impact on your overall health. Recent reports have linked gum disease with:
- Heart disease
- Strokes
- Diabetes
- Preterm, low weight babies
- Respiratory Disease
- Increases risk of pancreatic cancer
The relationship between gum disease and diseases in other parts of the body is due to the bacteria which causes gum disease, release toxins which can enter the bloodstream and travel to the major organs and begin new infections.
Now there is a new, less traumatic treatment for moderate to severe gum disease called LANAP. LANAP is an acronym for Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure. It is the only FDA approved laser-based approach for treating gum disease. LANAP utilizes safe and proven laser technology to gently remove harmful bacteria and diseased tissue from the gums.
Traditionally, moderate to advanced periodontal disease was treated with gum surgery, which required cutting and suturing. This regimen usually took eight visits. The first four visits consisted of deep scaling and root planning, followed by four quadrants of periodontal surgery. However, LANAP is performed in only two visits without a scalpel or suturing. As with LANAP, periodontal surgery removes harmful bacteria from the roots of teeth allowing the gums to adhere more firmly to the teeth. However LANAP is a less painful alternative because the gum tissue is not cut with a scalple, and there are no stitches. The patient benefits are, less pain, faster healing, reduced risk of infection, less bleeding, less post treatment discomfort, and less gum tissue loss.
LANAP is the only procedure for the treatment of gum disease that actually helps the bone supporting the teeth to regenerate. LANAP restores your gums to good health, reducing your body's susceptibility to the serious health problems associated with gum disease.
