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The Least Painful Periodontal Treatment

Are you afraid to sit in the dental chair? That may seem like a question to only ask to children, but the fact is many adults are quite nervous about seeing their periodontist when they have or suspect they may have some form of gum disease.
Neglecting to get periodontal treatment when you need it is only going to make matters worse, and extreme periodontal disease can ultimately lead to tooth loss and even spread infection and inflammation to other parts of the body. But is there any way to eliminate or at least minimize the pain? As a matter of fact, there is: laser periodontal treatment is the least painful way to treat gum disease.

Why Laser Periodontal Treatment Is Virtually Painless
More traditional forms of treating gum disease, be it early stage gingivitis or late stage periodontitis, involve the use of a local anesthetic and/or dental sedation – and they are much less painful than they once were decades ago. Nonetheless, gum pain, post-op bleeding, soreness and temporary inflammation, and general discomfort are still experienced immediately after surgery.

It can take weeks, or even months in extreme cases, to fully recover after many gum surgeries and to get your gums healthy and fully functional again. Laser gum surgery, however, changes all of that drastically.

Here are some of the ways in which a specific dental laser can reduce the pain and discomfort of periodontal treatment:

  • The lasers, specifically the Millennium MVP 7 NdYag , used in periodontal surgery do not cause pain or burning to your gums. They painlessly vaporize away the bad gum tissue and kill off harmful bacteria to end the infection and help prevent re-infection.
  • Patients usually require less anesthetic – just a local numbing agent. They don’t need the intravenous sedation that some other surgeries require.
  • There is very minimal bleeding of the gums or swelling and/or soreness post-op with laser treatment. The MVP 7 has a programmable setting to stimulate fibrin clot formation.
  • No scalpels or cutting tools are needed. And no sutures are required to help your gums heal after the surgery.
  • The operation can often be done in two, short sittings of just a couple hours each, compared to (often) four visits, all of them more painful than would be laser treatment, with traditional techniques.
  • Recovery time is usually 24 hours instead of 2 to 4 weeks with traditional methods. Most people are back at work within a day, or two at the most.

Is Laser Gum Treatment For Everyone?
Most patients are good candidates for laser gum treatment, even those with most health conditions, such as diabetes or who are on some kind of prescription medication. Those both young and old and with varying levels of oral health can all be well served by this treatment option.

Also, the results of laser treatment are often better and last longer, with 98% of patients staying stable 5 years or more following the surgery. Why, then, doesn’t everyone get this form of treatment every single time?

The answer is that laser treatment may cost a bit more than traditional treatments. But when you have extensive, intensive gum disease (especially periodontitis), laser surgery is strongly recommended and may not even cost that much more. Also consider that you save time and lose less income through off-work days during recovery.

The reduced pain levels and other benefits of laser periodontal treatment are often the best choice. Talk to periodontist Dr. Raymond A. Kenzik today to discuss whether it’s the best choice for you!

Located in Beautiful Ormond Beach

Ormond Beach Periodontics and Implant Dentistry is conveniently located off of Nova Road in Ormond Beach, Florida. We help seniors, adults, and teenagers smile with confidence.