Treating Gum Disease Without the Scalpels

Posted on December 6, 2018

It’s true: many patients are afraid of dentists and periodontists (gum specialists). They don’t like the bright lights, the noises, and the scalpels – especially the scalpels! This can probably explain why many people tend to visit the dentist when things have really gotten bad. Fortunately, dental technology has advanced to such a point that there are ways to treat oral health problems as painlessly as possible.

One of the most common gum surgery procedures is known as osseous surgery. Sometimes pockets form in the gum tissue around your teeth, allowing for bacteria to infect the gums, which poses a serious threat to your dental health. Osseous surgery helps by making incisions in the gums so that the surgeon can access the roots of the teeth and clean the tartar off of them.  Afterwards, they stitch the gums back together to form a tighter, more snug fit around your teeth that’s easier for you to keep clean. This procedure is extremely invasive and many patients might not feel particularly comfortable with the idea of small scalpels and sharp instruments digging around in their mouth. However, there is an alternative that is proven effective, cleared by the FDA, and minimally-invasive!

Dr. Gordon Wilson was one of the first dentists in the world licensed to perform LANAP (laser gum surgery). It works without making any scalpel incisions and it doesn’t require stitches. This allows for less trauma, less bleeding, less swelling, a shorter recovery time, and of course little-to-no pain. A tiny dental laser (about the thickness of three human hairs) is inserted between the tooth and gums , and any infected gum tissue is separated from the healthy gum tissue. The roots of the teeth are cleaned before the laser is used again to form a blood clot that seals the gap formed by the laser. It heals quickly and patients report a recovery period of less than 24 hours. Traditional gum disease surgery would require recovery of two to four weeks and restrictions including a liquid diet.

As someone on the forefront of dental technological advancements, Dr. Wilson has been an early adopter of LANAP surgery, with more operation time under his belt than almost anyone else in the world.  Book a consultation today to learn more about whether laser gum surgery is right for you.