Laser periodontal treatment (or laser gum surgery) is your minimally-invasive and less traumatic alternative to conventional gum surgery for the treatment of gum disease (gingivitis and periodontitis) and does not require cutting or stitching. As a result, it usually does not have the pain and discomfort associated with the older surgical cutting methods. After local anesthesia has been applied (novocaine, lidocaine), the laser probe is gently placed into the space between the teeth and gums, cleaning the diseased gum pocket, killing harmful bacteria, and eliminating diseased tissue.

Another laser gum surgery pass with a second type of laser technology uses a higher wavelength to break up hardened calculus (tartar) that sticks to the roots of teeth and flushes out the gum pockets with normal water. The roots are then cleaned further with a gentle piezo-scaling instrument, the latest technology in tooth cleaning instruments. One final pass of the laser is then made to help stabilize the clot to prevent bleeding, reduce or eliminate the need for any stitching, and to facilitate healing, re-attachment of gum tissue to the roots of the teeth, and possible regeneration of bone and connective tissue. We offer dual-wavelength laser gum surgery in our Boca Raton-Delray Beach office convenient to Boynton Beach and Lake Worth, by a periodontist-gum specialist, trained at the University of Pennsylvania and New York University.

Gum disease symptoms often include bleeding gums (gingivitis), swollen gums, periodontal abscess (gum infection), bone loss around teeth (periodontitis), loose teeth, discolored or sensitive teeth, bad breath, sore gums, receding gums, and exposed roots of teeth. Some patients have no symptoms at all, and need to be diagnosed by a gum specialist or periodontist.

Most patients are diagnosed with gum disease by their dentist, and deep cleaning or scaling and root planing is often recommended to remove tartar (calculus) from under the gum line. In some cases, antibiotics like Arestin™ or similar medications are placed under the gumline to improve healing after dental cleanings. But in advanced cases of gum disease, these efforts may be inadequate to prevent disease progression and tooth loss. Sometimes gum surgery (flap surgery) will be recommended, or more recent laser gum disease surgery treatments such as LANAP™ or WPT™ laser gum therapy.

Causes of gum disease include poor or inadequate oral hygiene, a genetic pre-disposition towards having gum disease (genetics), bacterial infections, a family history of tooth loss, smoking, cigarettes, tobacco use, diabetes, clenching or grinding habits, immune conditions, or other systemic medical problems. Fortunately, gum disease (although it is a chronic disease with no absolute cure), is usually very treatable, especially in its early stages, and you may have many treatment options to help you keep your teeth.

Gum disease may also harm your dental implants, as well as natural teeth. Patients with dental implants are also susceptible to gum disease (peri-implantitis) caused by most of the same factors that cause gum disease around natural teeth. Dental implants, like natural teeth, require periodic evaluation, cleaning, and maintenance to prevent future problems. Call Dr. Ressler, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and Boynton Beach gum specialist, for a convenient appointment to see if you are a candidate for laser gum treatment or other therapies (traditional gum surgery alternatives) to help you save your teeth!