Laser technology for treating Gum Disease

Advantages of using Laser technology when treating Gum Disease (Periodontal disease)

Gum disease is caused by a bacterial infection which starts in the pocket or space between your teeth and gums. If left untreated, this infection commonly spreads into the periodontal ligament, a group of specialized connective tissue fibers made of collagen, that attach your tooth to your bone. This disease process is chronic, may have periods of deterioration and can eventually lead to tooth loss. More importantly gum disease has been linked to many systemic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, respiratory diseases, pancreatic cancer, obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, still birth, many pregnancy issues, and the list continues to grow. Due to these health risks it is important to treat gum disease.

Gum disease can have many contributing factors such as genetics, your immune response, systemic disease and medications. Home care is very important but often not enough to keep our mouths healthy.

Laser technology can be used for highly effective treatment by decontaminating the pockets, to reduce bacteria and biofilm and help manage gum disease.  Put simply, a biofilm is the collection of microscopic living things that grow together within a substance that they produce. There are many different types of bacteria living inside your mouth. Some of these bacteria are very common and very harmful to your teeth and gums. Utilizing laser light energy to reduce bacteria helps decrease inflammation, reduces bleeding, decreases pocket depths and enhances gum health. Lasers also induce bio stimulation, which promotes healing of the tissues. The laser will help us clean deeper into the tissue where our instruments cannot reach.

In summary, laser therapy in combination with scaling supports healing of the periodontal pockets through eliminating bacteria and stimulating new collagen production.