Periodontal Laser Therapy
In the summer of 1998, the American Academy of Periodonotology launched a broad-based campaign to educate the general public about new findings that supported what dental professionals had suspected for quite some time: Infections in the teeth and gums are not isolated to your mouth, but have a general effect on your overall health.
What are the symptoms of
periodontal disease?
The most common symptom is bleeding of the gums when brushing, flossing or eating hard foods. Other symptoms of gum disease are sensitivity to hot and cold, gum recession, chronic bad breath, spaces developing between the teeth, swollen or tender gums, a change in the color of your gums to a dark red.
The only way to diagnose gum disease is by visiting your dentist or dental hygienist.
How can gum disease hurt my teeth?
Periodontal disease is the #1 cause of tooth loss!
Most people believe that tooth loss is caused by decay; and even though cavities can be serious they can usually be taken care of quickly and easily before they cause too much damage to teeth.
However, when gum disease is left untreated it eventually begins to destroy the bone that holds teeth in place. Once bone loss occurs, you are at risk for losing teeth.
What causes gum disease?
Periodontal disease begins by a bacterial infection that lodges in the pockets created between the gum tissue and the tooth. The bacteria is housed in a microbial structure called “biofilm”, which is a sticky, mucous-like substance that attaches to the tissue and begins the process of forming plaque and tartar on the tooth surface.
Do I just need to brush and floss better?
Of course, good oral hygiene is a must but brushing and flossing alone won't reverse the damage done once the disease begins to progress. Unfortunately, periodontal disease doesn't get better without treatment.
What are some of the problems associated with gum disease?
Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection that enters the blood stream and travels to major organs to create new infections. Research suggests that this may contribute to the development of heart disease, stroke, preterm births and low birth weight. It also poses a serious threat to those whose health is already compromised by diabetes, respiratory illnesses, and other systemic diseases such as lupus, etc.
How do you treat periodontal disease?
Traditionally, gum disease was treated with a procedure called “scaling and root planing”. The procedure was about as unpleasant as it sounds. Performed by the dental hygienist, scaling and root planing involved using hand instruments to remove plaque and tartar. Unfortunately, since this technique didn't remove the biofilm that houses the bacteria, the effectiveness of scaling and root planning has always been somewhat lacking.
Since we are committed to clinical excellence at the Dental Design Studio, we treat periodontal disease with the most advanced technology available in modern dentistry, micro-ultrasonic instruments and lasers.
This combined use of technologies actually eliminates the infection rather than “manage the disease”, which has been the traditional form of treatment.
How does the laser work?
A diode laser is used in combination with a micro-ultrasonic hand instrument that detaches the biofilm from the tooth surface. The swirling motion created by the micro-ultrasonic actually creates a tornado-like effect which attacks the physical structure of biofilm.
Once the biofilm has been detached, the diode laser is used to sterilize the periodontal pockets and remove any infected tissue. As the old tissue is removed, microscopic clots form and the body's natural healing response takes over; as this occurs, the tissue reattaches to the bone and the gums return to a healthy, infection-free state.
Can the laser hurt my teeth or cut my gums?
Similar to how surgeons use lasers to remove diseased tissues, the magnetic light energy of the diode laser is specifically designed to seek out periodontal infection and therefore, doesn't harm the teeth or other, healthier tissue. This is one of the amazing characteristics of lasers!
Additionally, the hygienist calibrates the laser to provide just the right amount of power to treat your gums without causing undue pain or trauma to the tissue.
If you request we will use the new form of needle-free anesthesia, Oraqix® to numb your gums. However, most of our guests don't need anesthesia and actually report a warm, soothing sensation while receiving laser therapy.
After each treatment, the hygienist will apply a soothing balm of vitamin E over your gums to cool the treated areas and encourage healing.
Is periodontal laser therapy expensive?
As in every case, at the Dental Design Studio we design treatment to prevent more extensive care and cost. Since the laser actually removes the infection, the likelihood that you will have to pay for periodontal surgery is greatly reduced; and therefore, the cost is significantly less than other alternatives.
The cost of laser therapy depends upon how many sessions are required to completely remove the infection in your mouth. When the hygienist designs your care, the number of sessions will be estimated. Fortunately, we have a number of payment options and our Patient Care Coordinators are experts at making care affordable.
Why is periodontal therapy done by a hygienist and not the dentist?
First of all, Dr. Parker believes that hygienists are severely underutilized in dentistry. Hygienists receive training in treating periodontal disease as part of their education but unfortunately, traditional dental practices don't use the hygienists' full range of knowledge.
At the Dental Design Studio, our hygienists have received specialized training in periodontal laser therapy by one of the most well-respected hygienists and trainers in North America--Janet Press, RDH. Dr. Parker met Ms. Press through the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies and she been to our office twice to train our hygienists and the entire team on the techniques and benefits of periodontal laser therapy.
Why have I never heard about periodontal laser therapy before?
Because Dr. Parker is so dedicated to keeping abreast of the most recent advancements in modern dentistry, we can offer treatments that many other dental practices haven't yet discovered. Currently, the Dental Design Studio is one of the few practices in New Mexico with the training and credentials to offer this technology.
However, because of the effectiveness and comfort of periodontal laser therapy, we believe that in the near future this will be the standard of care for everyone with gum disease. --