Periodontal (Gum) disease is very common. 47% of adults aged 30 and older have some form of it, according to the CDC. And those numbers get worse with age. At 65, more than 70% of adults have gum disease in some form. Periodontitis is dangerous because it’s subtle, attacking your gums with minimal side effects until it’s too late. Luckily, your local dentist can treat most forms of gum disease with many effective methods including LANAP surgery.
Defining Periodontitis
Periodontitis is a very common gum infection typically caused by poor oral hygiene. But it can also be the result of hormonal changes, medications, and other health conditions.
As plaque builds up on teeth, it creates a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. If left untreated, the plaque hardens into tartar, allowing bacteria to rapidly spread. Gums become inflamed and pull away from the teeth. This causes teeth to loosen. And as the infection continues to spread, it attacks the jaw bone and periodontal ligaments further, leading to tooth loss.
How to Identify the Stages of Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease occurs in several stages. Your treatment depends on the stage of your infection. The key to repairing the damage and restoring your health and smile is to identify what stage of gum disease you have so that you can figure out your treatment options.
- Gingivitis is the early stage of gum disease. Symptoms are often painless and include bad breath, gums that are soft and red in color, and bleeding after brushing or flossing, This stage is reversible through better oral hygiene and with a professional cleaning.
- Periodontitis mainly differs from gingivitis in that tarter on the teeth causing pockets to form. When tartar forms on the teeth, gums further move away, creating these spaces. At this point, the infection attacks the bone and patients need to seek treatment.
- Advanced Periodontitis is the final stage of the disease, causing increased bone and tooth loss, painful chewing, severe halitosis, and even pus to ooze from the gums. It’s crucial for patients with advanced periodontitis to seek treatment immediately as infections can spread into the bloodstream and cause other illnesses.
Can You Treat Periodontitis at Home?
Only the earliest form of periodontal disease, gingivitis, can be treated at home (provided it’s the cause of poor oral hygiene). However, it’s often best to seek help from a medical professional and have them evaluate you. And with periodontitis, you’ll need to visit your nearest dentist to discuss treatment options right away.
The main reason for this periodontitis isn’t curable, but manageable. Once the plaque hardens into tartar, it cannot be removed by brushing alone. You’ll need to visit your local dentist for treatment.
How to Treat Periodontitis: LANAP Surgery
Periodontitis requires deep cleaning and surgery. Typically, this involves scaling and root planing (an intensive cleaning) specifically designed to resort gum health. Then, your periodontist will need to restore your gums. This can be done through two methods.
For a long time, traditional gum surgery was your only option. Your trained periodontist would cut into your gums with a scalpel and remove the infected tissue after your deep cleaning. Then they’d suture your gums, pulling them closer to the teeth. The process was painful and had a long recovery time. Luckily, there is a better option: LANAP surgery.
With LANAP surgery, your periodontist will first perform a deep cleaning, then use a medical laser only targets the harmful bacteria in your gums. Then, they’ll seal the gums using the laser to form clots. This helps gums grow back healthy. The whole process takes around two hours and recovery time from LANAP surgery is only 24 hours (not weeks like in traditional gum surgery).
Reversing Periodontal Bone Loss with LANAP Surgery
Patients with periodontitis often experience bone loss. It happens when harmful bacteria attack the jaw and periodontal ligaments where the infection is. And if teeth fall out, then patients will experience more bone loss due to inactivity (the body maintains jaw bone through chewing, if unused, it is absorbed). That’s why you’ll need to talk to your dentist or periodontist about repairing bone loss after LANAP surgery.
If you’ve lost teeth due to periodontitis, then implants would be a great option for restoring bone density. Bone grafting is another option you may want to consider for helping restore the atrophied jaw bone. However, LANAP surgery has been clinically proven to restore bone loss in some patients after treatment.
LANAP Surgery in New York City
If you’re looking for a LANAP trained doctor in Manhattan, then you should check out Advanced Dental Arts. We’re a top-rated dental practice with a team of board-certified dental health specialists located near you. And we have trained, experienced LANAP certified staff members ready to help treat all stages of gum disease.
From general dentistry to LANAP, you’ll find all of your dental treatments under one roof at Advanced Dental Arts. Don’t wait any longer. Your perfect smile is one phone call away.
