Gum Problems That Can Be Remedied With Laser Periodontal Therapy

The introduction of modern lasers into the field of dentistry has made it easier than ever for dentists to remedy a wide variety of dental problems that affect all tissues of the mouth, including the gums. When a dentist treats a gum problem with a laser instead of one or more traditional dental instruments, patients can often look forward to better treatment results, shorter recovery periods accompanied by less pain, and even faster procedures.

Read on to learn about three gum problems that can now be treated with laser periodontal therapy.

There are many treatments that aim to improve the symptoms of gum disease, including both milder gingivitis and more severe periodontitis. Just a few of these treatments include root scaling and planing, bacteria-killing mouth rinses, and even oral antibiotics. While some people experience success with these treatments alone, others find they only help improve their gum disease symptoms temporarily or seem to not work for them at all.

For this reason, laser therapy for periodontal disease has become very popular in recent years. During this treatment, a laser is used to remove diseased gum tissue, kill gum disease-causing bacteria underneath the gum line and in other oral tissues, and stimulate the healing of healthy tissues.

To begin laser periodontal therapy for gum disease, a dentist or periodontist first uses the fiber optic tip of a dental laser to remove damaged gum tissue and bacteria from gum pockets that lie on top of tooth roots. Then, they use a special cleaning tool to remove tartar and plaque from the gum line. Finally, the periodontal laser is again placed in gum pockets to kill additional bacteria and stimulate the creation of blood clots that encourage gum pockets to re-attach to tooth roots.

After this process is completed, a patient often notices a large improvement in their gum disease symptoms or even the return of good gum health.

Another gum problem that can often be remedied with laser periodontal therapy is the growth of an interdental fibroma. Oral fibroma is a small mass of scar-like tissue that develops inside of the mouth after an extended period of tissue irritation. This irritation can occur as dentures rub against the gums or when braces brackets or wires irritate the inner mouth. An interdental fibroma is present on the gum line between two teeth.

While newer fibromas often go away on their own when the cause of the oral irritation causing it is found and stopped, older, denser fibromas often will not go away on their own and instead need to be manually removed.

While interdental fibromas were once typically cut away with a scalpel, these fibromas can now be removed with softtissue lasers. Lasers remove these tissue growths accurately to help ensure that gum appearance is not affected negatively by the removal of too much soft tissue. In addition, a laser coagulates the gum tissue as it cuts it to prevent excess bleeding at the incision site(s) and potentially shortens the healing time.

Gingival hyperplasia is a condition that causes gum tissue overgrowth. This overgrowth can appear in the form of one or more small lumps of excess tissue on the gums or, in more severe cases, gum tissue that begins to grow over and partially covers teeth. Gingival hyperplasia has many causes, including inflammation resulting from poor oral hygiene, a genetic predisposition to the condition, specific vitamin deficiencies, and more. Some medications can also cause drug-induced gingival hyperplasia.

While some people experience resolution of gum overgrowth when the cause of the condition is determined and stopped, others need surgery to correct the condition. Laser periodontal therapy in the form of laser excision can be used to treat gingival hyperplasia. During this procedure, a dental professional uses a laser to remove excess gum tissue while also reshaping gums to improve their appearance, if necessary.

Laser periodontal therapy has become more popular than ever because it can be used to remedy a wide array of oral health problems, including these three that affect gums. Contact the dental and periodontal experts at Bradley Piotrowsky DDS, MSD, LLC to schedule a laser periodontal therapy consultation today.