By Joy Raskie RDH - June 28 2021
The Importance of Laser-Assisted Periodontal Therapy (LAPT)
Everything You Need To Know
We look forward to hearing from you soon, and we can’t wait for you to learn more about the future of dentistry and oral health.
When it comes to oral health, nothing is more important than ensuring that you’re giving your patients the best possible treatment to prevent, protect against, and in some cases, treat gum disease. As a dental professional, you’re likely aware of the new dental technologies that have emerged in recent years. However, if you haven’t yet jumped onboard and incorporated some of these technologies into your practice, you might be leaving yourself and your patients at a significant disadvantage – especially when it comes to gum disease.
If you haven’t yet incorporated Laser-Assisted Periodontal Therapy into your practice, then now is the time. In this short article, we are going to get into some of the details related to this innovative gum disease treatment, so that you can learn more about it and why it is critically important to begin offering this treatment to your patients.
What Is Laser-Assisted Periodontal Therapy?
Laser-Assisted Periodontal Therapy – also known as LAPT – is a laser decontamination therapy that essentially decontaminates gums through the use of high-powered, minimally-invasive, pain-free laser light.
This comprehensive approach to preventative oral care eliminates the need for scalpels, sutures, and other commonly used dental tools that would otherwise be a common place in gum disease treatment. Instead, a powerful laser device offers safe, painless, and effective gum disease treatment for those who require it.
Perfect for periodontitis and gingivitis, LAPT is highly effective and has proven to be a viable alternative to traditional gum disease treatments. With that in mind, it is important to understand exactly how this procedure works before you decide if it’s right for your practice.
How Does LAPT Work?
With LAPT, the laser light is designed to selectively target and eliminate the most common bacteria that lives around and inside of gum tissue. From time to time, your patient’s mouth will begin to build up excess tartar or calculus. This excessive buildup is most often associated with inflamed gums which could bleed or become quite red when brushing or flossing.
Inflamed gums are one of the first signs of gum disease, and LAPT is designed to target the bacteria that continues to cause inflammation quickly and effectively. LAPT targets biofilm in the gums, decontaminates the area, and exacerbates the healing process. As a non-surgical, non-invasive, and safe approach to gum health, we are totally revolutionizing the oral-care industry today.
How Does LAPT Help A Patient?
There are a number of benefits that come along with LAPT for patients that go beyond simply ridding their gums of dangerous and harmful bacteria that can cause gum disease. First and foremost, the process is quite simple and entirely painless, which is always a plus when it comes to any type of dental care or periodontal attention.
Secondly, the process is just about as expensive as the more traditional and conventional approaches to periodontal work. Additionally, more and more insurance plans are covering the cost of periodontal disease treatment, which means that your patients’ coverage might allow them to choose LAPT over traditional treatments without paying anything extra out of pocket.
As the treatment of the future, it’s clear that LAPT is quickly becoming the chosen option amongst dentists who offer periodontal treatments, and patients who require support. So, how easily can you incorporate LAPT into your oral care services?
How Easily Can You Incorporate LAPT Into Your Life?
Well, quite seamlessly, in fact! All you have to do is purchase the right technologies and learn a bit more about the process itself. There are tons of resources out there to learn just how to provide this service, which is why we are proudly offering courses, hands-on trainings, and more today.
In terms of your patients, brief them on the details of LAPT so they can make the most informed decision possible.
This treatment can be performed anywhere from once a year to once a month depending on the severity of your patients’ gum disease. Every patient is different, and it’ll be up to you to help them determine the appropriate course of action.
Aligning To Your Comfort Level
It is extremely important to remember that everyone’s comfort level when going to the dentist is unique. While many of us would rather not deal with a scaler scraping our teeth and removing bacteria and tartar, others might be uncomfortable in general at the dentist.
Thankfully, LAPT is one of the most minimally-invasive treatments around, and that makes a big difference for patients. It is much easier for dentists to recommend LAPT for their patients as opposed to more conventional treatments for gum disease simply because it is relatively pain-free.
The goal with this treatment is to ensure that patients from all walks of life can pay a visit to their dentist, receive the treatments they need, and achieve optimal oral health – all without the hassle, stress, or pain. And that is precisely why you should invest in the technology for your practice sooner rather than later.
Contact Us Today To Learn More
Interested in incorporating lasers into your practice? Get in touch with AMD Lasers today to find out what laser is best for your practice.
Interested in learning more about LAPT and incorporating it into your protocols? Get in touch with Advanced Dental Hygiene to review different training options that can be fully integrated into your practice.