There Is a Better Way to Treat Gum Disease
If your dentist has told you that you need gum surgery, you may be feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or even tempted to put it off. That reaction is completely understandable. Traditional gum surgery has a reputation for being painful, requiring a long recovery, and leaving permanent changes to your gumline. For years, it was the only option available.
It is not anymore.
Unlike traditional gum surgery, which removes and reshapes tissue and bone, LANAP stimulates your body to grow back what periodontal disease has taken. New bone. New connective tissue. New attachment. This is not maintenance. This is regeneration.
LANAP laser treatment was developed specifically as an alternative to conventional scalpel surgery, and the difference in patient experience is significant. There is no cutting. There are no sutures. Most patients manage any post-procedure soreness with over-the-counter ibuprofen and return to work the very next day. More importantly, LANAP does not just treat gum disease. It gives your body the conditions it needs to regenerate the bone and tissue that disease has destroyed.
You do not have to choose between your fear of surgery and the health of your teeth. LANAP offers a path forward that is less invasive, less painful, and clinically proven to regenerate what gum disease has taken away.
Why Patients Choose LANAP
Over Traditional Gum Surgery
Understanding what makes LANAP different from conventional osseous surgery helps explain why patients who were previously avoiding treatment are now moving forward with confidence.
LANAP |
Traditional Surgery |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Cutting and sutures |
None |
Required |
|
Tissue removal |
Diseased tissue only; healthy tissue preserved |
Gum tissue cut away and removed |
|
Bone regeneration |
True regeneration of bone and attachment |
Resective; bone is removed or reshaped |
|
Bone grafts |
Not required; your body regenerates its own bone |
Often required; artificial graft materials placed |
|
Post-op discomfort |
Mild; over-the-counter ibuprofen typically sufficient |
Moderate to significant; prescription pain management common |
|
Return to normal activity |
Next day for most patients |
Several days to one week |
|
Gum recession |
Minimal |
Common and often permanent |
|
Blood thinners |
No discontinuation required |
Often must be stopped before surgery |
|
Retreatment rate |
87% of cases require no retreatment at 5 or more years |
Repeat procedures commonly needed |
LANAP
Traditional Surgery
What to Expect at Your LANAP Appointment
LANAP is performed as a full-mouth procedure in a single appointment, typically lasting approximately three hours. This approach treats the entire mouth at once, which is both clinically optimal and convenient for patients who are traveling to receive care.
Before your appointment
Local anesthetic injections are administered to fully numb the treatment area. You should feel pressure but not pain throughout the procedure.
If you experience significant dental anxiety, an anti-anxiety medication may be prescribed beforehand. A driver will be required if this option is chosen.
You do not need to stop taking blood thinners or anticoagulant medications before LANAP treatment.
During the procedure
The PerioLase laser fiber, no thicker than three human hairs, is gently inserted into the periodontal pocket alongside each tooth. The laser selectively targets and removes only diseased and infected tissue while leaving all healthy tissue completely intact.
Ultrasonic instruments are then used to remove calculus and biofilm from the root surfaces, giving your teeth a thorough professional cleaning as part of the LANAP procedure itself. Many patients are relieved to learn their teeth are cleaned during treatment rather than requiring a separate appointment.
A second laser pass then creates a stable fibrin blood clot that seals the pocket and initiates the regenerative healing process. This clot acts as the foundation for your body’s own bone and tissue regeneration in the weeks and months that follow.
Bite adjustments may be made to reduce traumatic occlusal forces on treated teeth, which supports optimal healing outcomes.
After your appointment
Most patients are pleasantly surprised by how manageable the recovery is. Over-the-counter ibuprofen is typically all that is needed for any post-procedure soreness, and most patients return to work and normal daily activity the following day.
You will be placed on liquid and soft diet restrictions for 7 to 10 days following treatment to protect the healing process. Detailed post-operative instructions will be provided at your appointment.
Understanding the Investment
We believe you deserve a clear, honest picture of cost before you make any decisions.
What does LANAP cost?
Full-mouth LANAP treatment typically ranges from $4,500 to $7,500 depending on the severity of disease and individual treatment needs.
How does that compare to the alternatives?
Periodontal disease that goes untreated leads to progressive bone loss, tooth mobility, and eventually tooth loss. The cost of addressing that downstream is substantially higher than treating the disease now with LANAP.
|
LANAP full-mouth treatment |
Approximately $4,500 to $7,500 |
|
Traditional osseous surgery with bone graft |
$8,000 to $15,000 |
|
Single tooth extraction with implant |
$3,500 to $6,000 per tooth |
|
Full-mouth extractions with implants |
$25,000 to $60,000 or more |
|
Removable partial denture |
$1,500 to $4,500 (plus ongoing maintenance) |
What about dental insurance?
This is the question patients ask most often, and it deserves a genuinely honest answer. The short answer is: most insurance plans do not have a specific code for LANAP, and here is why that matters.
Think about LANAP the way you think about LASIK eye surgery. LASIK is FDA-cleared, scientifically validated, and clinically superior to wearing glasses. Yet most insurance plans do not cover it. Patients pay out of pocket because the outcome justifies the investment. LANAP is that same story in periodontics.
Here is why: the American Dental Association (ADA) assigns specific billing codes to recognized procedures. Traditional osseous gum surgery has its own code because it has been performed the same way for decades. LANAP is a fundamentally different procedure. It does not cut tissue. It does not place sutures. It does not use bone graft materials. Because it works through an entirely different mechanism, there is no existing ADA code that accurately describes it.
LANAP is submitted to insurance as D4999, the unlisted periodontal procedure code, along with a detailed clinical narrative explaining your diagnosis and exactly what was performed. Some insurance plans will apply a partial benefit toward this code. Any amount your insurance does pay is credited toward your total fee.
For specific questions about your benefits, coverage determination, and payment arrangements, speak directly with the dental office where you will be receiving treatment. They manage all insurance submissions and billing on your behalf.
Insurance coverage is not a measure of clinical quality. It is a measure of how long a procedure has been in the billing system. LANAP holds FDA clearance with an outcome claim of True Periodontal Regeneration, a distinction no traditional gum surgery can make.