Read on below to learn how laser gum surgery compares to the other treatment “alternatives.”
Laser Periodontal Treatment Is Painless & Scalpel-free!
Root scaling and planing is the usual first step to treat gum disease. It involves pulling back the gums from the tooth roots, cutting away infected gum tissue, and scraping tooth root surfaces to remove bumps and formations where bacteria could colonize.
By contrast, laser gum surgery is scalpel-free. The handheld pulsating laser, in the hands of an experienced periodontist, vaporizes infected gum tissue in a fast, painless manner. The same laser can also be used to clean tooth roots and kill off bacteria. No other periodontal treatment is as pain-free as laser treatment.
Superior Handling Of Deep Periodontal Pockets
Deep periodontal pockets are colonies of harmful, gum-and-tooth-destroying bacteria that live below your gum line. They continue to push deeper and deeper below the gum line as gum disease progresses, causing your gums to gradually detach from your teeth.
One of the key parts of treating gum disease is eliminating these deep periodontal pockerts. With gum flap surgery, tartar deposits are scraped off of teeth, infected tissue is cut away, and gums are sometimes spliced to stretch them out further. Then, gum tissue is held in place with dental sutures where necessary.
With laser treatment, the laser simply cleans out the deep pocket and wipes out infected gum tissue (without wasting adjacent healthy tissue!). No sutures are necessary. Collagen strips may be used to hold gums in place post-op, but that is all.
Quicker Recovery With Far Fewer Complications
Laser periodontal treatment is much less painful post-op as well. There is minimal to no swelling or bleeding of the gums – not so with other periodontal treatment options.
You may want to use a pain killer or an ice pack after the surgery, but even that may not be necessary. Within 24 hours, most people are back to work and their daily routine with laser treatment. With other methods, however, it can take weeks or months to recover.
You will also be able to go off of a soft diet sooner with laser treatment and will have fewer lifestyle adjustments to make during the recovery process.
Lasers Are Effective On Even The “Tough Cases”
While you might have to use a different treatment option if you need bone grafts or soft tissue grafts first – in most cases, laser gum surgery is a viable option regardless of exactly what type or stage of gum disease you are suffering from.
The laser option does cost more upfront than some of the alternatives, which is why it is often reserved for the more advanced cases of gum disease. But remember that the re-infection rate is much lower with laser treatment and it can be done in one sitting – which means it could cost the same or less than other options anyway. Plus, dental insurance generally covers it.
To learn more about laser periodontal treatment and other gum disease treatments, contact Ormond Beach Periodontics & Implant Dentistry today!