When plaque—a sticky film of bacteria—accumulates on your teeth and along your gumline, it can lead to inflammation and a gum infection. Harmful bacteria thrive in spaces called periodontal pockets, releasing toxins that can destroy bone and other structures supporting your teeth. If you’re one of the nearly 50% of American adults with gum disease, you should know that this progressive condition can impact far more than your smile.
Advanced gum disease is linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, pregnancy complications, and even Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, the repercussions of periodontitis can negatively impact your whole body’s health! Although many people ignore the early and sometimes silent signs of gum disease, gingivitis treatment in Missoula, MT, is key to preventing tooth loss and other serious health complications. At Big Sky Smiles & Sedation, we offer a full range of periodontal disease treatments, including evidence-based LANAP, a scalpel—and suture-free laser gum disease treatment cleared by the FDA in 2004.
At Big Sky Smiles & Sedation, our dentist, Dr. Tyler Bond, is highly skilled in the LANAP (Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure) and is the only dentist in the area who offers this gentler gum disease treatment.
Minimally invasive LANAP laser gum disease treatment in Missoula, MT, relies on the specific and varying wavelengths of the PerioLase® MVP-7™ dental laser. In addition, this innovative, versatile laser technology enables Dr. Bond to perform a wide range of cosmetic and restorative periodontal procedures.
Scaling and root planing is often the first line of therapy for gum disease. With this nonsurgical gum disease treatment in Missoula, MT, specially designed instruments gently and thoroughly remove plaque and tartar from beneath your gumline. Eliminating these deposits and smoothing the surfaces allows gum tissue to reattach to your teeth, with the goal of reducing the pocket depth and improving your overall periodontal health.
If you have a tooth that is decayed, broken below the gum line, or insufficient in height, crown lengthening exposes more of the tooth to enable the placement of a restoration. For cosmetic purposes, crown lengthening can resolve gummy smiles (excessive gum tissue in your smile zone).
Gingival (gum) recession is a common oral health condition that exposes tooth roots, increasing the risk of tooth decay, sensitivity, and bone loss around teeth. The good news is that lasers can be used to vaporize diseased gum tissue before a gum grafting procedure and for free gingival graft procedures in which soft tissue is taken from one area of your mouth and placed in areas of gum recession.
LANAP is one of the most successful periodontal disease treatment protocols because it precisely targets the source of the inflammation without impacting healthy gum tissue. This protocol slows or stops attachment loss and decreases pocket depth, allowing your body to recover from the chronic infection—without scalpels or sutures. LANAP laser gum disease treatment in Missoula, MT, results in quicker healing, more predictable results, and less postsurgical recession and tooth sensitivity.
LAPIP™ (Laser Assisted Peri-Implantitis Procedure) is a modification of LANAP. Dr. Bond uses the PerioLase MVP-7 laser to treat failing dental implants. This is done by vaporizing bacteria, diseased tissue, pathologic proteins, and titanium post contaminants in soft tissue, followed by using ultrasonic scaler tips to remove surface growth. The formation of a stable fibrin blood clot containing stem cells from your bone creates a secure enclosure to protect the area from re-infection, allowing the implant to start fusing again with your underlying bone.
Although dental implants have a high success rate of 95–98%, a progressive inflammatory condition known as peri-implant disease can threaten their integrity. In its early and highly reversible stages, peri-implant mucositis is limited to the soft gum tissue around an implant. When it advances to peri-implantitis, inflammation can attack the bone, cause more severe jaw pain, and lead to loosening implants—and, in the worst-case scenario—dental implant failure.
A traditional gingivectomy involves surgically removing excess gum tissue to reduce the appearance of a gummy smile. Gingivectomy is the most common procedure performed with dental lasers. Using a laser instead of scalpels results in rapid healing reduces postoperative pain, and typically eliminates the need for periodontal packing or sutures.
Frenectomy is a simple surgical procedure typically done in infants and children involving the removal of one or both frenums. The labial frenum is a small piece of soft tissue that connects gum tissue to your upper lip above the two upper front teeth. The lingual frenum connects your tongue to the floor of the mouth. A lingual frenectomy is often referred to as tongue-tie surgery because this can cause speech issues in young children. A labial frenectomy prevents or closes a gap between the two front teeth and associated orthodontic issues.
Osseous surgery may be necessary if you have advanced gum disease and pockets persist after laser therapy. With this technique, Dr. Bond numbs treatment sites, then gently retracts your gum tissue to gain access to deep areas of infection. Then plaque and tartar are removed from root surfaces, and any bone discrepancies created by bacterial toxins are smoothed out. Recovery is longer than laser-assisted procedures because the tissue has been cut and sutured back in place.
