Laser Therapy for Gum Disease: No Pain, All Gain

Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in the United States, and almost half of American adults  have some form of this condition. While your dentist can treat gum disease, it can sometimes require multi-session treatments with incisions and long recovery times. 

That’s true with conventional periodontal surgery. At RR Dentistry  in Georgetown Texas, we proudly offer our patients next-level care for serious gum disease using specially designed dental lasers. 

From a patient standpoint,  laser therapy is less painful, requires fewer appointments, and features faster recovery. There’s no reason to postpone gum disease therapy any longer. 

The progress of gum disease

You may know that gingivitis is a mild form of gum disease, where gum tissue becomes swollen and bleeds easily. Your gums might ache, but often there’s no discomfort or pain. 

Gingivitis is also a cause of halitosis (bad breath). Improving your home oral care routine and undergoing aggressive dental cleanings in our office can often turn things around at this stage. 

When gingivitis remains untreated, it migrates to a more aggressive form of gum disease called periodontitis. The bacteria that irritated gum tissue during the gingivitis stage now attack gums and bone tissue in the jaw. 

Pockets form between teeth and gums, and more bacteria collect in these ideal habitats. Teeth become loose and can eventually fall out. Periodontal surgery is now necessary to save your natural teeth. 

Laser therapy for gum disease

Dental lasers have some natural properties that simplify the treatment of gum disease for both the patient and the dentist. The thermal energy produced by lasers replaces several traditional steps required when treating your gums. 

There are four goals for gum surgery: 

1. Cutting away infected tissue
2. Stopping the bleeding
3. Eliminating the bacteria causing the infection
4. Sterilizing the tissue in your mouth

In traditional techniques, your dentist cuts away infected tissue with a scalpel and then stitches the gums to stop bleeding after removing bacteria and sterilizing your mouth. You can expect discomfort and pain in the days after treatment as the incisions heal. 

Dental lasers use heat to cut away gum tissue, and this heat also cauterizes blood vessels in the healthy tissue, jump-starting the healing process. Laser energy also kills bacteria and sterilizes mouth tissue, taking care of all four goals efficiently and quickly. 

We still use some traditional techniques in combination with the dental laser to ensure all problem areas in your mouth are thoroughly cleaned. Dental lasers are more precise than conventional handheld tools, and laser therapy is less invasive. 

Some types of conventional gum therapy require general anesthetics, where you’re put to sleep as the work is being done. Laser therapy is usually performed using local anesthetics only, as you’d expect for a filling or other dental work. 

Find out if you’re a candidate for laser periodontal therapy by meeting with our dental laser specialists  at RR Dentistry. Call or click  to book your visit today.