Laser Gum Disease Treatment: What to Expect

Many routine dental visits are just that: routine. You get a cleaning and an exam, get told you need to floss more, and go on your way.

What do you do when your routine dental visit is anything but routine?

Almost half of all adults over 30 are now told they have some form of periodontal disease. Mild cases can be reversed with better oral hygiene, but if it has progressed to a more advanced stage, more rigorous treatments will be needed.

Here at Portrait Dental, Dr. Minh Nguyen is proud to offer the latest treatment for periodontal disease: laser treatment.

What is periodontal disease?

Periodontal disease, or gum disease, is an infection of the tissue and bone that hold your teeth in place. If you catch it earlier, vigorous brushing and flossing can reverse the infection, but if it has reached the point that it’s a full-blown infection, you’ll have to deal with it more aggressively sooner rather than later.

To address your periodontal disease, dentists sometimes recommend scaling and root planing, a deep cleaning procedure that can remove tartar, plaque, and bacteria from your teeth at and below your gumline and the roots of your teeth. 

How does laser treatment work?

A newer procedure, though, offers better results: laser treatment. With this treatment, Dr. Nguyen uses a laser to remove inflamed gum tissue from around the roots of your teeth, and he can remove the built-up tartar and plaque around and below your gumline.

With the laser treatment, there’s little to no bleeding, minimal swelling, and you don’t have to deal with the noise and vibrations of the dental drill. It’s also virtually painless, so you don’t have to worry about anesthesia injections 

What is recovery like?

After the treatment, your mouth will need time to recover as your gums heal and new tissue begins to generate. Your recovery will vary based on how advanced your periodontal disease was, but in general, you may notice a few symptoms:

• A change in gum tissue color 
• Minimal bleeding and swelling near the site where the laser was used
• A little soreness and/or tooth sensitivity
• An odd taste from a mouth rinse prescribed by the doctor

To prevent a recurrence of this issue, you need to stay on top of your oral hygiene: Brush at least twice a day, and floss at least once a day to keep the food and bacteria from having a spot to build up.

If you know (or even suspect) you have gum disease, Portrait Dental will be your best resource. To schedule an appointment, just call our Katy, Texas office at 501-381-1621, or use our easy online scheduler to book your own appointment anytime!