Laser Periodontal Therapy™ is a laser based technique for the
treatment of periodontal disease using the Millennium Dental Technologies,
Inc., PerioLase® Laser. Fear of periodontal treatment vanishes
when patients find out no scalpel or sutures will be used. Patient
friendly laser treatment gets patients to agree to the treatment
they need and continue with the follow-up care that is prescribed.
Our office is one of the first in the area to offer Laser Periodontal
Therapy for the treatment of gingivitis and/or periodontitis.
How
It Works
Tartar, associated with inflamed and bleeding gums, is removed
form the root surface of the tooth using an ultrasonic sealer and
small instruments.
Then, a small amount of light energy from a laser is directed
through a tiny fiber, which is gently placed between the gum and
tooth. This light energy removes a tiny amount of diseased tissue
and aids in reducing the bacteria associated with the disease.
After the area is thoroughly cleaned, the body can heal the area
naturally.
Virtually Painless
Although the procedure itself can be virtually painless, we may
anesthetize the area for the patient's comfort. In this way we
can precisely direct the laser for treatment. Post-procedure discomfort
is typically minimal and of short duration.
Treatment Time
Initial treatment is focused on scaling and the use of small instruments
to remove the tartar. Then, the laser portion of the treatment
is performed and normally only takes a few minutes. Depending on
the severity of the patient's periodontal disease, treatment may
be accomplished in one office visit or in multiple visits. The
estimated treatment time is reviewed with patients when we discuss
their treatment plan.
Benefits of LPT
LPT uses a special kind of laser called the PerioLase®, invented
by two dentists in Cerritos, California. Dr. Robert Gregg and Dr.
Delwin McCarthy spent years developing a better way to treat gum
disease. The laser fiber, which is only about as wide as a couple
of human hairs, is inserted between the gum tissue and your tooth,
where it painlessly removes the noxious elements that cause gum
disease.
Number of Treatments
LPT doesn't take much time at all -- just two two-hour sessions
versus eight to ten one-hour sessions with surgery. You don't have
to worry about bleeding, stitches or post-treatment infection,
because your gums haven't been cut.
Post Surgery Recovery Time
The sense of recovery is immediate, due to the laser's ability
to seal blood vessels, lymphatics and nerve endings. Of course,
your tissue needs time to recover, regenerate and heal over the
course of time, but after LPT, you can drive your car, go back
to work, or do anything else you like.
Insurance / Treatment Cost
The good news is, LPT is actually less expensive -- by about
20% -- than periodontal surgery. Dental costs vary around the country,
so find a PerioLase® dentist in your area for exact figures. There
is no special code for our therapy, so if your insurance company
will reimburse for conventional surgery, they will reimburse for
LASER PERIODONTAL THERAPY.
Typically we use the same billing codes as traditional gum surgery
and the laser treatment is generally no more expensive than traditional
surgery. There are other factors which may affect the cost, such
as the severity of the periodontal disease, and how many teeth
are involved. Many insurance plans pay only for a portion of this
treatment. Patients should discuss their payment options with the
dental office personnel as we offer financing for this treatment.
The dramatically increased comfort for our patients made the new
system attractive to our office. We do encourage patients to take
care of the need now to reduce further damage to their gums, teeth
and bone. |
