Success Rate & Benefits of LAPIP
Periodontal disease can be detrimental to the overall health of your mouth, especially dental implants. Fortunately, there is an easy, minimally invasive procedure that can be used to restore the health of your implant with LAPIP! Before we discuss LAPIP, let’s get a better understanding of peri-implantitis, periodontal disease in dental implants.
Implants have a very high success rate and are one of the best options to restore missing teeth but no procedure is without some level of risk. If the implant is not well maintained or the patient has underlying medical conditions, an implant can be at risk of failure. When the implant begins to fail, the surrounding tissues can become infected.
What is peri-implantitis?
Though it is less common than advanced periodontal disease, peri-implantitis can be just as damaging to your dental implant. Symptoms that may be identifying factors for peri-implantitis include:
- Bleeding and pus leaking around the implant
- Pain at the implant
- Redness and swelling
- Mobility of the implant
LAPIP Procedure
When you display symptoms of peri-implantitis, your periodontist will perform an examination beginning with measuring your gum pockets around the implant. A perio probe is a tool with millimeter markings used to determine how deep the pockets are. Healthy gum pockets measure between 0 and 2 millimeters. The depth of the pocket will help your doctor determine the severity of the infection around the implant.
Once they are ready to begin treatment, your periodontist will use a laser which emits a specific frequency of light to eradicate infection and damaged tissue. The laser is able to differentiate between healthy tissue and diseased tissue in both the gum and the bone so that it leaves healthy tissue undisturbed. The laser will vaporize bacteria, pathogenic proteins, and diseased tissue.
An ultrasonic scaler is then used to clean debris from the surface of the implant and bone before the laser is again used to repair bone. This second use of the laser helps to create a stable, fibroid blood clot containing stem cells from bone to help encourage healthy bone and tissue attachment to the implant. Overtime, the surrounding bone and gum tissue will heal to the implant, providing a stable foundation to support the implant.
LAPIP Benefits and Success Rate
The LAPIP treatment process (not to be confused with LANAP) is much easier on the patient both during treatment and during healing. Using a laser allows for a much quicker recovery time as opposed to an incision and sutures. The process only takes one or two appointments whereas traditional treatment can require multiple appointments and follow up visits.
LAPIP can save an implant from being replaced, which can be very costly. Implants typically run between $1500 and $4000 but using laser technology can help keep money in your pocket! The LAPIP treatment method has about a 90% success rate with those patients no longer showing signs and symptoms of peri-implantits.
As soon as you notice any signs that your implant might be in peril, see your periodontist as soon as possible to prevent further damage.