Dr. Lezhansky Discusses Patient Comfort with LANAP

Does LANAP Improve Patient Comfort?

Dr. Lezhansky Discusses Patient Comfort with LANAP

Dentist in Manhattan and Brooklyn provides Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure (LANAP) for patients—no scalpel and no stiches.

From a patient comfort point of view, the experience of having the Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure (LANAP) is better than traditional periodontal surgery because we are not cutting away the gums. For one thing, with LANAP, we are removing only about half of a millimeter of tissue just around the circumference of the tooth in order to gain access to that tooth’s pocket.

The second big difference between LANAP and traditional periodontal surgery is that there are no stiches involved. The procedure spares the patient the discomfort of having stiches throughout the mouth as required after traditional periodontal surgery.

The patient can basically function as they normally would after LANAP, which is very different from the previous osseous surgery where the patient would most likely have dressing and stiches in place. That protocol was immensely uncomfortable. After the LANAP patients say they feel that something has been done, but they do not have the post-operative discomfort that was traditionally associated with conventional periodontal surgery.

After the procedure the typical prescription I give a patient is Ibuprofen 600mg, which is a strong Motrin or Advil. It is given just to ensure that the patient can be comfortable by taking it if needed, but over the counter medications such as Tylenol, Motrin, or Advil will do as well. In about 90% of cases the patient uses the medicine the night after the procedure and the next morning. Afterward they do not need to take any pills.

We are very fortunate to have the LANAP available in periodontal practice today. Patients who have had conventional periodontal surgery in the past who come to me for the laser procedure say the two experiences are like day and night. They say they would rather lose their teeth than have to undergo the osseous surgery ever again. With the LANAP they say they would do it again and it is nothing to fear or worry about.

Dr. Alexander Lezhansky

Bright Smile Design Dental

Office in Manhattan and Brooklyn

New Patients Welcome