NOT ALL LASERS ARE CREATED EQUAL
Periodontal disease, including gingivitis and periodontitis, is a silent, painless, chronic, communicable bacterial infection that often goes undetected or ignored until severe gum and bone destruction catches an individual’s attention. By the time there are symptoms, it’s usually in the late stages when the tooth/teeth can no longer be saved. Although experts vary in their estimation of the prevalence of gum disease, it is clearly one of the most common conditions in the United States. 50 out of every 100 adult Americans have moderate to severe gum disease, 40 out of the 50 do not know it, and fewer than two of them will get treated before it’s too late. Periodontal disease is growing at nearly epidemic rates. There have been many studies linking periodontal disease to Diabetes, Heart Disease, Kidney failure, Alzheimer’s, and Stroke.
The Connection with Periodontal Disease and Covid-19
At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, a study by researchers at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, found that periodontitis exacerbated patients’ inflammation response. Patients with periodontitis were found to be 4.5 times more likely to require a ventilator and almost nine times more likely to die of COVID-19. Patients with severe cases of COVID-19 are shown to experience an inflammatory response that can lead to complications such as intubation or death
Researchers suspect that periodontal patients who contract COVID-19 start the course of the disease with an already high level of inflammation in their bodies, making them more susceptible to complications and severe outcomes.
LASER BACTERIAL REDUCTION (LBR)
Laser Bacterial Reduction (LBR) is accomplished by a hygienist during your Periodontal Maintenance cleaning using a non-cutting dental laser. The high intensity light energy of the laser is focused around the teeth and into the gum pockets during the cleaning when there is a high potential for some bleeding, giving the bacteria another potential entry point into the body. When LBR is performed, most of the bacteria are killed, greatly reducing the strain on the immune system and making the cleaning safer.
Laser Bacterial Reduction is highly effective compared to mouthwash irrigations and local antibiotics, yet non-invasive and painless. The actual treatment is inexpensive and Dr. Adli believes her patients deserve the best and most effective maintenance treatment, which is why we perform LBR with all our cleanings.
LASER ASSISTED PERIODONTAL TREATMENT
Laser Assisted Periodontal Therapy, or LAPT , is the latest in Periodontal Infection Removal. The laser uses a specific wavelength that targets and destroys diseased tissue and bacteria from periodontal pockets. This is accomplished by a hygienist during Scaling and Root Planing, which is also known as a deep cleaning.
The precision of this laser allows us to remove only the diseased tissue. This results in less postoperative discomfort and faster recovery time. In Laser Assisted Periodontal Therapy (LAPT) there is no cutting away of the gums or bone as in traditional treatment. LAPT uses a unique combination of laser energy to provide gentler, more precise treatment that conserves healthy tissue and minimizes pain and discomfort.
LANAP® | Laser Treatment
An FDA-cleared laser treatment called the LANAP protocol offers a less painful, more successful treatment alternative to conventional gum/bone surgery. LANAP=LAR is the only scientifically, research proven methodology that results in true periodontal regeneration, new bone growth and gum tissue reattachment. LANAP and LAR is accomplished with the PerioLase MVP-7. The LANAP=LAR treatment is one of the most successful protocols in treating gum disease because it can target the source of the inflammation without hurting or removing any healthy gum tissue, slow or stop attachment loss and decrease pocket depth, and allowing the body to recover from the chronic infection without the need for scalpel or sutures.
Dr. Camille Adli is one of only around 3,000 Dentists and Periodontists worldwide certified in the LANAP PROTOCOL undergoing continuous rigorous training to ensure that she maintains her top skills to perform the LANAP protocol.
