Dental Surgery vs. LANAP

       

Periodontal surgery is a process where gum tissue is detached from the teeth in order to clean out the bad bacteria all the way to the root. “Pain and recovery time is generally a part of this process,” says periodontist Dr.Rice. This process usually requires multiple visits that can be up to two hours each time as each quadrant of the mouth is done separately. This procedure also requires anesthetic in order to numb the area. Root scaling may be the first step, however if the periodontal disease is more severe you may need further appointments with surgery.

Once the gum tissue is separated from the tooth, the periodontist will use an ultrasonic tool or other scraping tool in order to go below the gum line and remove bad bacteria. Then the gum is reattached using sutures. Once your surgery is done, you will be sent on your way usually with instruction to rinse until your next appointment for the next quadrant. Once all four quadrants have been cleaned out you will be set up with regular visits until your gums are considered healthy again.

“There are pros and cons to every procedure,” suggests Dr. Rice, periodontist at Rice Periodontics and Implant Surgery, “With traditional periodontal surgery there is a high rate of success and there may be a lower cost initially than LANAP. However the LANAP protocol has a high success rate as well and several other benefits, such as reduced healing time.”.

While a patient diagnosed with periodontal disease will always have periodontal disease, patients who have undergone LANAP surgery tend to have a higher rate of success and some patients have even been fortunate enough to have gum tissue reattach to the teeth,  which reduces the amount of bacteria that will enter the pockets in the future. 

 

Gum recession – What Can Be Done?

Gum recession occurs when the tissue surrounding the teeth wears away, or pulls back exposing more of the tooth. This can happen due to hormonal changes, poor brushing techniques, hereditary issues or periodontal disease that has been left untreated.

For many, the process results in teeth that have the appearance of being way too long and an increase in sensitivity. “But your dentist can treat gum recession,” says Dr. Denine Rice, the Periodontist at Rice Periodontics and Implant Surgery in Riverside, California.

For mild gum recession your Periodontal Specialist or dentist may be able to treat the area through non-surgical methods. Rootplaning and scaling is many times the first step in treating this issue. During the process of root planing and scaling, plaque and tartar are removed from below the gumline of the teeth all the way to the roots. This is done under a general anesthetic and can many times result in a favorable outcome.

For those whose recession is more advanced and has led to bone loss, the pockets of tissue surrounding the teeth will be too deep and surgery may be required to repair the area. “When this is the situation, we still have options to help,” adds Dr. Rice. “We can reduce the pocket depth surgically by pulling back the tissue surround the teeth and remove the harmful bacteria or we can use a laser to enter the area and get rid of the bacteria that way.”

When the bone supporting the teeth has been destroyed, a regenerative procedure may be recommended. “We can add back bone and graft tissue,” Dr. Rice says. “Whatever you do, don’t let recession continue to go untreated!”

 

Denine Rice, DDS