Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure (LANAP)
Introduction
This article is written to be a general description of the LANAP procedure and the benefits for restorative dentist. You can find out more about LANAP at Wikipedia. LANAP is designed to be used by certified dentists or periodontists, you can find a list of dentists in your area at SafeDentistReview.com who use LANAP. This surgical laser procedure is used to treat periodontitis by regeneration instead of resection. The LANAP deals directly with inflammation, tooth mobility, infectious and osseous. It is a simply elegant procedure that is greatest use for periodontal regeneration.
What is LANAP?
About 80% of Americans suffer from a form of periodontal disease. 97% of people with moderate and even severe periodontitis are not receiving treatment. This is a staggering statistics that needs to be rectified. Widespread use of LANAP will bring about a treatment that more patients will actually desire.
Dr Delwin McCarthy and Dr. Robert H. Gregg II started researching using lasers for periodontal disease treatment in the 90's. By 1998 they published the findings of bone regeneration. In 2004 LANAP was cleared for periodontal disease treatment by the US FDA.
The primary piece of this procedure is the PerioLase digital dental laser. It has a wavelength of 1064nm and can be used even up to 1,000s of watts. It has the options of differing pulse duration. This laser targets diseased pocket tissue away from the main connective tissue. The base tissue is taken away from the good tissue at the histologic place. Simply put, the laser's energy is focused on the diseased tissue, which leaves the healthy tissue. This allows much easier healing and doesn't allow sealed pockets to form on the epithelium junction.
Procedure Overview
Unlike other dental procedures there is no initial therapy that is used before the LANAP procedure. LANAP is usually finished within two visits, but has been done in as few as one. Usually, each visit is usually around two hours. The patients are then seen one week after the procedure to evaluate the healing process.
After the first post opp checkup, the patient then has supportive therapy every three months. They are monitored quite closely during this time. After one year, their final evaluation is performed which includes a full-mouth radiograph.
Patient's opinion of the LANAP procedure.
Patients who would normally avoid dental surgery have great acceptance toward the new LANAP procedure. They want a alternative to the traditional dental surgery and are willing to accept the use of lasers as a viable alternative. There has been greater acceptance because there is little discomfort, gum puffiness and bleeding.
Even right after the LANAP procedure patients generally can see that the tissue looks healthier. Since there are no incisions made with this procedure none of the regular tissue is hurt so there aren't any of the normal feelings associated with regular surgery. Because of this patients will not experience root sensitivity.
Conclusion
The LANAP procedure is the best option for aesthetics, patient comfort and ease of use. It should become the norm in cases of periodontitis. Dentists need to stay up-to-date on the newest technology in order to offer their patients with the best care available.
This article is written to be a general description of the LANAP procedure and the benefits for restorative dentist. You can find out more about LANAP at Wikipedia. LANAP is designed to be used by certified dentists or periodontists, you can find a list of dentists in your area at SafeDentistReview.com who use LANAP. This surgical laser procedure is used to treat periodontitis by regeneration instead of resection. The LANAP deals directly with inflammation, tooth mobility, infectious and osseous. It is a simply elegant procedure that is greatest use for periodontal regeneration.
What is LANAP?
About 80% of Americans suffer from a form of periodontal disease. 97% of people with moderate and even severe periodontitis are not receiving treatment. This is a staggering statistics that needs to be rectified. Widespread use of LANAP will bring about a treatment that more patients will actually desire.
Dr Delwin McCarthy and Dr. Robert H. Gregg II started researching using lasers for periodontal disease treatment in the 90's. By 1998 they published the findings of bone regeneration. In 2004 LANAP was cleared for periodontal disease treatment by the US FDA.
The primary piece of this procedure is the PerioLase digital dental laser. It has a wavelength of 1064nm and can be used even up to 1,000s of watts. It has the options of differing pulse duration. This laser targets diseased pocket tissue away from the main connective tissue. The base tissue is taken away from the good tissue at the histologic place. Simply put, the laser's energy is focused on the diseased tissue, which leaves the healthy tissue. This allows much easier healing and doesn't allow sealed pockets to form on the epithelium junction.
Procedure Overview
Unlike other dental procedures there is no initial therapy that is used before the LANAP procedure. LANAP is usually finished within two visits, but has been done in as few as one. Usually, each visit is usually around two hours. The patients are then seen one week after the procedure to evaluate the healing process.
After the first post opp checkup, the patient then has supportive therapy every three months. They are monitored quite closely during this time. After one year, their final evaluation is performed which includes a full-mouth radiograph.
Patient's opinion of the LANAP procedure.
Patients who would normally avoid dental surgery have great acceptance toward the new LANAP procedure. They want a alternative to the traditional dental surgery and are willing to accept the use of lasers as a viable alternative. There has been greater acceptance because there is little discomfort, gum puffiness and bleeding.
Even right after the LANAP procedure patients generally can see that the tissue looks healthier. Since there are no incisions made with this procedure none of the regular tissue is hurt so there aren't any of the normal feelings associated with regular surgery. Because of this patients will not experience root sensitivity.
Conclusion
The LANAP procedure is the best option for aesthetics, patient comfort and ease of use. It should become the norm in cases of periodontitis. Dentists need to stay up-to-date on the newest technology in order to offer their patients with the best care available.