Saving a Loose Tooth with LANAP

You might need LANAP® if you have one or more loose teeth. A tooth usually becomes loose due to bone tissues around it becoming damaged. These structures can be damaged by dental issues like gum disease or trauma to a tooth. The former is the leading cause of adult teeth becoming loose or falling out of the mouth.

Damaged bone tissues in the body naturally repair themselves through bone regeneration. This occurs regardless of the location of the tissues, including bone tissues in the jaw.

Historically, periodontists only had a few ways to fix loose teeth. They were often forced to extract teeth with significantly damaged bone structures around them. Extracting a tooth involves performing oral surgery and replacing it with an oral prosthetic.

LANAP gives periodontists a less invasive way to treat teeth with significantly damaged supporting bone structures. It is usually recommended when a patient’s bone structures have been damaged by gum disease, making some of their teeth loose. There is no need to remove bone or teeth structures during the process. It involves using a laser to kill bacteria under gum tissues at the base of teeth and to stimulate cells in the area to promote healing. This leads to the regeneration of the bone tissues surrounding teeth.

Treating loose teeth with LANAP

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves using LANAP as a treatment to promote bone tissue regeneration and prevent tooth loss. The laser used for the treatment does not harm healthy tissues, yet it penetrates them by up to 4 millimeters to treat deep below gum tissues. The laser is also used to create a fibrin clot once the area surrounding the teeth roots has been cleaned. LANAP treatment promotes the natural healing process instead of working against the body.

What to expect when getting LANAP treatment

LANAP procedures usually start with the periodontist administering a local anesthetic to numb the area being worked on. There is no need to be worried; the procedure is not as involved as traditional gum surgery.

The periodontist starts the treatment by using a soft tissue laser fiber that is a few times thicker than a strand of hair to clean between teeth and gum tissues. The laser kills the bacteria that causes the inflammation that leads to teeth structures being damaged. The laser is set at a specific wavelength that kills these microorganisms without damaging healthy tissues in the area.

When the periodontist is done cleaning infected tissues, hand tools and an ultrasonic scaler are used to remove tartar from teeth surfaces and their roots. The laser is then used to clean the patient’s gum pockets.

The laser’s wavelength is changed so it can be used to create blood clots that seal off gum pockets and prevent bacteria from getting into them. The treated gum tissues will attach to teeth roots as the patient recovers from the procedure.

LANAP treatments are typically broken into two sessions. Each session only lasts a couple of hours and involves treating half of the patient’s mouth. These sessions are often scheduled a week apart from each other. Patients can choose to get their entire mouth treated at once if they prefer.

Recovering after LANAP

Most people who get LANAP treatments can get back to their regular routine the next day. Patients are often able to drive themselves after the treatment.

Side effects patients might experience after the treatment include soreness, throbbing, and aching around the treated areas that might last for a few days. Gum tissues might become discolored after getting LANAP treatment. The discoloration usually goes away within a few days.

Periodontists typically recommend not brushing or flossing teeth for at least a few days after getting LANAP treatment. Patients should also avoid using mouthwash during this period unless prescribed by a periodontist.

Periodontists also recommend staying away from hot, hard, and spicy foods while recovering from LANAP treatment. Smoking tobacco products slows down the recovery process, so it is best to avoid that as well.

Fix loose teeth by getting to the root cause

LANAP treatment is a less invasive way to treat gum disease, and it promotes the regeneration of bone tissues in the mouth. It has a shorter recovery period than traditional gum surgery and causes less discomfort as you recover.

The LANAP procedure is safe for most patients, and it works with your body’s natural healing process to promote healthy bone structures in the mouth. Notice one or more loose teeth? Gum disease might be the cause. Call or visit our Palm Beach Gardens clinic to set up an appointment with our periodontist.

Request an appointment here: https://corderoperiodontics.com or call Rafael E. Cordero, DDS PA at (561) 437-3707 for an appointment in our Palm Beach Gardens office.

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