Hearing that you may need gum surgery can bring up questions you had not expected at a cleaning appointment. You may be wondering about stitches, time away from work, or whether a laser could treat the same areas. LANAP gum treatment can be an option for certain patients with periodontitis, although the recommendation starts with the condition of the gums and the support around each tooth.
At Cary Family Dental in Cary, Illinois, Dr. Niraj Patel and Dr. Rachel Ehlers are certified in LANAP, or Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure. If you have deep gum pockets or have been advised to consider surgery, we can check whether LANAP could treat the affected areas. We’ll measure the pockets, review the bone around your teeth, and explain how the available treatments compare for your gums.
Why Deep Gum Pockets Need Treatment
When we measure your gums, we are checking the space between the gum and each tooth. Healthy gums fit closely around the teeth, but periodontitis can break down that attachment and leave deeper pockets. Once those pockets deepen, plaque and hardened tartar can collect where your toothbrush and floss cannot reach.
Meanwhile, inflammation can damage the bone supporting the teeth. You may notice bleeding or bad breath, although significant damage can develop without much pain. During an exam, we measure the pockets and review X-rays because the surface appearance of the gums cannot show the full extent of that loss.
Deep Cleaning May Be the First Treatment
If you have deep pockets, we may first recommend scaling and root planing, often called a deep cleaning. We numb the areas when needed and remove plaque and tartar from the roots beneath the gums. After the tissues have had time to heal, we measure the pockets again and check whether the bleeding has settled.
After a deep cleaning, your gums may improve enough that we can continue with periodontal maintenance. However, some pockets stay deep or keep bleeding despite treatment and careful cleaning at home. If that happens, we’ll show you which areas still need care and explain whether LANAP or another procedure could help.
How LANAP Gum Treatment Works
During LANAP, we use a thin laser fiber to treat diseased tissue inside the gum pockets. We also clean the root surfaces with instruments to remove the tartar that has collected there. As treatment finishes, a protective blood clot helps the gums begin healing against the teeth.
This approach generally avoids the conventional incisions and sutures associated with flap surgery. However, LANAP still treats the tissues supporting your teeth and requires numbing, aftercare, and follow-up. We’ll explain the areas being treated, how the procedure works, and what you can expect during healing.
Bone Loss and Loose Teeth
Before recommending LANAP, Dr. Patel and Dr. Ehlers check how firmly each tooth is supported and where bone has been lost. A tooth that feels stable may need a different approach from one that moves when you chew. We also look for cracks and areas where the shape of the bone or root makes cleaning and healing more difficult.
Depending on those findings, we may recommend LANAP for some areas and another type of periodontal care for others. For example, conventional surgery may allow better access to a deep pocket or an area that needs a regenerative procedure. If you have more than one option, we’ll explain what each would involve for your teeth, recovery, and follow-up.
What LANAP Can and Cannot Repair
With treatment, we work to bring the infection under control and keep your teeth supported for as long as possible. Some areas may regain attachment or bone support as they heal, depending on the damage and your response to treatment. If a tooth has already lost substantial support, we’ll explain its outlook rather than promise that LANAP can rebuild everything that was lost.
If you’re hoping to avoid conventional gum surgery, ask us whether LANAP can treat the areas we found during your exam. We can show you which pockets need care and explain why we recommend a particular approach. After treatment, we’ll check the pocket depths and bleeding again to see how your gums have healed and whether any areas need more care.
Plan for Healing After Treatment
After LANAP, your gums may feel tender, and cold food or drinks may bother some teeth while the tissues heal. We’ll go over what you can eat and when to resume brushing and cleaning between the treated teeth. Because those instructions can change during healing, keep the written directions handy rather than guessing when to return to your usual routine.
For the early recovery period, soft foods can be easier than crusty bread, crunchy snacks, or food that requires heavy chewing. Depending on the treatment, we may recommend changes to exercise and other activities as well. If pain, bleeding, or swelling increases instead of settling, contact our team so we can assess the area.
Maintenance Continues After LANAP
Once the initial tissues heal, periodontal maintenance helps control the bacteria that continue collecting around teeth. These visits may be more frequent than a routine preventive schedule, depending on the condition of your gums. We check pocket depths, clean areas you cannot reach at home, and monitor teeth that have already lost support.
Between visits, daily cleaning and avoiding tobacco help protect the treated areas, while managing diabetes can support healing if you have it. If floss catches or you cannot comfortably reach behind a back tooth, we can show you another way to clean that spot. Bring the cleaning aids you use to a maintenance appointment, and we can work with you on the areas that are still difficult.
LANAP Gum Treatment in Cary, Illinois
If you have been advised to consider gum surgery, we welcome your questions about LANAP at Cary Family Dental. Dr. Niraj Patel and Dr. Rachel Ehlers can examine your gums, explain the bone support around your teeth, and review the treatment options available for your case. Schedule a periodontal visit with our Cary, Illinois team, and let’s talk through what your gums need and what you can expect afterward!