Do Gums Grow Back After LANAP?
The majority of adults in the United States have gum disease, which is often characterized by inflammation in the gums, bad breath, and bleeding from the gums during brushing or flossing. In its early stages, gum disease can be entirely reversed through cleaning, disinfecting, and changing the oral hygiene habits. Once it’s advanced, gum disease can’t be reversed by brushing and flossing, but the gum tissue can be restored to health with a minimally invasive procedure called LANAP surgery. LANAP stands for Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure, and it can restore the health of the gums and periodontal attachment ligaments that hold the gums and teeth in place in the periodontium.
The periodontium is the system of specialized tissues that include the gums, jawbone, and teeth. Periodontal disease is an infection in the periodontium that is caused by dental plaque, the bacterial film that forms on the teeth when saliva and food debris interact. Plaque can be removed with proper brushing and flossing, but even the most conscientious brushers might miss a spot or two, and when allowed to remain on the teeth, plaque will harden into dental calculus, which can only be removed by a dentist or dental hygienist. When plaque and calculus accumulate at and under the gumline, the gums become infected, bleeding and swelling. This is the early stage of gum disease, known as gingivitis. When left untreated, gingivitis will lead to periodontitis, a disease that is characterized by the separation of the periodontal ligament, which makes the gums pull away from the teeth. When the gums pull away from the teeth, pockets are formed, and, as these pockets remain untended, they grow deeper, filling with infection that leads to bone damage and bone loss in the jaw.
Periodontal disease can be treated with a dental deep clean, wherein the dentist cleans below the gumline and smooths out rough areas on the tooth roots to discourage further bacterial growth. While deep cleaning keeps periodontal disease at bay, it will not reverse the damage already done to the attachment ligament, gum tissue, and bone. Traditional surgery may be used in cases of severe infection; in these procedures, a periodontist peels away the gums, cleaning out periodontal pockets and scraping the roots of the teeth before reattaching the now-shortened gum tissue. As you might imagine, this invasive procedure is painful and has a long recovery time.
LANAP surgery uses specialized laser technology to actually regenerate tissue, helping the gums and oral tissues grow back. The laser destroys diseased tissue and bacteria while leaving the healthy tissue alone, promoting cellular regeneration by activating growth factor proteins that encourage the regeneration of tissue and bone. As this healthy tissue heals and strengthens, it provides an increasingly healthy layer of protection for the periodontium, protecting the tooth roots and bones from further infection and helping them grow healthy and strong as well. Scientists are still determining the efficacy of LANAP treatment in fully regenerating bone tissue, with clinical trials revealing new possibilities all the time, making the LANAP protocol a promising treatment for the possible reversal of periodontal disease.