Does it hurt?

I have not had this treatment done on myself, so I must rely on my patients and their experience.  Some say there was no pain at all.  I personally believe there is some discomfort during some part of the experience, but that is what they say.  Others say that it feels like they had a super-duper cleaning, and know they were worked on, but nothing traumatic.  Finally, I have one patient who we opted to forgo any pain relievers (800mg Motrin is typically prescribed) after the laser surgery and he stated that there was some throbbing prior to bed, but it was gone in the morning when he woke up. By the way, he also went to work both days immediately following the surgery. 

What if another dentist told me I needed to have my teeth pulled?

Maybe you need to, but maybe not. Wait until we do an exam and give you my evaluation.  I have treated a number of people who were told they had a hopeless case, and now their teeth are healthy again.  Sometimes teeth need additional treatment to be saved, but we can discuss these issues on a per case basis to be sure of what the plan will be.  Unless there is an infection from decay or injury and you don't want to try and save them,  I typically prefer to try to keep most teeth.  It is much easier to decide later to take them out, than to wish they were still there after they are extracted.

What other options do I have?

You always have options when it comes to your dental care.  Typically Deep Cleanings, Traditional Surgery, LANAP and of course, no treatment, are all options.  You need to have an exam to determine which of these apply in your situation.  One of my biggest concerns is the under treatment of gum disease that is so prevelant today. 

The above x-ray was taken on a patient that had LANAP suggested as an option along with the above mentioned treatments.  She decided to go to someone else for a second opinion.  (usually a great idea)  They convinced her that all she needed was a deep cleaning (it was cheaper).  She had recently lost a number of other teeth to gum disease, and had heavy bleeding.  While I never promise any particular result with any treatment, I have never seen any evidence showing that deep cleanings alone will help that tooth on the the bottom right.

What if I want dental implants?

Implants can be a great choice for some people, but not everyone.  Some people are not emotionally ready to have some or all their teeth taken out.  Some don't want to, or can't spend the money needed for them.  Just don't think that implants are your only choice until you know for sure.

Will this need to be done again in the future?

This is another great question.  Chances are, yes.  How soon is the big question.  Do you smoke?  Do you have an autoimmune related disease (Diabetes, RA, Lupus, HIV)?  How bad of a condition (10mm + deep pockets) are you in now?  How well are you going to take care (great home care, regular 3 month cleanings) of yourself?  These are all factors that are involved.  From my friends who have been doing LANAP™ even longer than I have, they state that after 5 years, most patients are doing great and don't need to be retreated yet.  This is opposed to the majority of their traditional surgery patients that after 5 years, will likely need treatment again.. 

With a LANAP™ retreat, since tissue was not amputated in the first place, we actually still have something to work with.

Is there any follow-up needed with LANAP?

Yes.  After the first 2 days of the laser surgery, there will be post-op visits, typically every week for the first month.  These appointments are not an extra charge, they are included to encourage you to come and make sure you have the best outcome possible.  After that I encourage patients to call and come in as need arises.

Also, after LANAP™, you must, I repeat MUST make a commitment to getting periodontal maintenance cleanings EVERY 3 MONTHS for as long as you want to try and keep your teeth.  This is not negotiable on whether you have dental benefits, or not.  You will be wasting your money in the long run if you do not keep up with the 3 month schedule.  The laser is great, but it is NOT magic.  It will not create a mouth that does not need consistent professional care to remain healthy.  This is in addition to daily home care with brushing, flossing, and rinsing. 

How much is it?

Is it cheap?  Not compared to getting your teeth polished.  Since the exact price is impossible to state prior to seeing your actual case, I will give you an idea of some things in dentistry that are options and you can decide which sounds better in your situation.

Traditional cut and sew periodontal surgery (not including the cleaning typically needed prior to this type of surgery).

Implants- one or two, restored to replace teeth not including grafting, sinus lifts, custom parts, extra lab fees.

Extracting all of your remaining teeth and have a good, but temporary set of dentures made.

Ignore your condition, pull teeth one at a time, suffer with the effects of having an untreated chronic infection and the associated inflammation including heart disease, stroke and certain cancers.  (ok, this one actually will cost you a lot more in the long run)

Just as a rough estimate, figure around $5,000 for a typical case that has no other issues.  This also includes all the post operative appointments, but not the cleaning appointments needed every 3 months from then on.

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