Comparing The Process: Laser VS Traditional Periodontal Surgery
Laser periodontal treatment is the most recent and the most advantageous form of gum disease treatment in modern dentistry. That said, there are situations where more traditional methods may be preferred. For one thing, laser surgery is no more costly, so it is often reserved for more extreme cases.
Traditional periodontal surgery involves cutting with a scalpel, peeling back the gum tissue from the tooth roots, cutting off the infected tissue, reshaping or repositioning of the gums as needed, and the use of dental sutures (stitches) to hold gum tissue in place while it continues to heal.
Laser gum surgery, by contrast, is scalpel-free, requires less direct handling of the gums, and does not require stitches to assist in recovery. The LANAP or other specialized periodontal laser works quickly and effectively and reduces the time in-office during the procedure itself as well as greatly speeding up the recovery process.
5 Top Benefits Of Opting For Laser Periodontal Treatment
There are many important benefits that accrue with laser periodontal treatment. We can summarize most of them under the following five categories:
- Less pain. Laser gum surgery is virtually pain-free, and without any need to resort to dental sedation in most cases. There is less swelling, bleeding, and gum sensitivity too. Most patients say they barely felt a thing.
- Quicker recovery. With laser gum surgery, you can return to your daily routine within 24 hours. While you will want to avoid brushing the affected area for a time and be gentle with it, the healing process is less conspicuous than with traditional periodontal surgery.
- Gum preservation. Laser treatment is very precise and can target and remove infected gum tissue without taking healthy tissue away along with it. Additionally, the lasers actually stimulate gum regeneration.
- Annihilates bacteria! Laser periodontal treatment is maximally effective at destroying harmful bacteria on your gums and tooth roots. The incidence of reinfection is lower than with traditional techniques.
- Less gum recession. With many types of gum disease treatment, the gum line must be cut back in order to eliminate the bacterial pockets effectively. This may mean your smile will be ruined for a time during healing. The laser option generally leaves your smile intact – though it depends on how deep the periodontal pockets have gone.
In certain extreme cases of periodontitis, laser periodontal treatment may not be an option, and may do not prefer it for very minor cases of gum disease either. But for everything in between these two extremes, it is easily the top choice offering the largest number of important benefits.
To learn more about laser periodontal treatment and whether it is right for you, contact periodontist Dr. Raymond A. Kenzik in Ormond Beach, Florida, today for a free consultation.