Laser periodontal therapy may be a surgical alternative for you. The laser is less invasive because there is less cutting, which promotes regrowth of your own bones and gums. You are left with a happier, healthier smile. This treatment is a revolutionary procedure to address gum disease that does not respond to traditional scaling and root planing therapy (AKA deep cleaning).
Why Choose Adkins Family Dentistry for Laser Periodontal Therapy?
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More Comfortable Care with Our Dental Laser
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In-Network with Most PPO Dental Insurance Plans
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Compassionate & Experienced Dental Team
Periodontal Scaling and Root Planing
Scaling and root planing uses hand and ultrasonic instruments to clean calculus and tartar off root surfaces. This process removes calculus and tartar but leaves behind a microscopic smear layer of debris that your gums have difficulty reattaching to. This means that after healing is complete, the gum levels shrink away rather than re-grow to their previous levels.
Some Pockets May Be Too Deep to Completely Clean
In some cases, the gum disease can be so advanced that the pockets are too deep to properly and completely clean. Sometimes the ultrasonic and hand instruments used for cleaning cannot completely clean the tiny irregularities and shapes of root surfaces. For these reasons, after scaling and root planing, sometimes areas with gum disease do not improve. At this point it is common for dentists to recommend periodontal surgery.
Periodontal Surgery vs. Periodontal Laser Therapy
When areas with gum disease do not improve after scaling and root planing, periodontal surgery or laser therapy might be recommended.
Periodontal Surgery
Traditional periodontal surgery involves making incisions in the gums, peeling them back temporarily, cleaning off the root surfaces, grinding away bone, removing excess gum tissue, and then stitching everything back together.
Some Surgical Drawbacks
This procedure can be invasive and result in many spaces between the teeth and the appearance of receded gums. These spaces and recessions can cause food to get trapped more often and can cause a negative effect on the appearance of one’s smile. Teeth can also become more sensitive. Further, the procedure can involve significant post-operative pain and discomfort. Traditional periodontal surgery is ultimately beneficial for the patient but is not without significant drawbacks.
Laser Periodontal Therapy Promotes Regrowth
Laser periodontal therapy or surgery offers a much more conservative solution to gum disease. Rather than a subtractive approach that removes gum and bone, laser periodontal therapy actually helps bone and gums re-grow.
The laser uses high-energy photons to clean the gums and surfaces of the teeth and stimulate the bone around teeth. The laser ablates a microscopic layer of the tissues that destroys bacteria and calculus and sanitizes these surfaces. The action of the laser also cleans the tooth surface in a way that does not leave behind a smear layer or debris but rather leave the tooth surface almost identical to its original surface. Because of this, gums and bone can easily reattach to the tooth and new bone, and gum growth is often observed following treatment. Supplementary bone grafting and guided tissue regeneration can also be performed in tandem with this procedure to further increase the amount of tissue that regrows.
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If you have had a dentist recommend periodontal surgery and are worried about it, or just have more questions concerning it, know that you have other options. We serve local Denver-area communities.
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Find Our Wheat Ridge Dental Office
- At the intersection of W. 44th Ave. and Wadsworth Blvd.
- Minutes from Costco and Arvada Market Place
- Less than 20 minutes from Downtown Denver
- Near Arvada, Lakewood, Berkley & Mountain View
- Located in the PNC Bank building