Is Laser Gum Surgery Painful?

You just completed your six-month dental exam and were told that you have periodontal disease. No one really wants to be informed that they have infected gums, but there is now a variety of treatment options to choose from, depending on the severity of your gum disease. As an example, laser gum surgery is a much less invasive option than traditional oral surgery, as it continues to grow in both popularity and use.

The innovative use of lasers has significantly revolutionized many different industries. That list now includes the dental health care field. This is an exciting, inspirational breakthrough, with more research studies encouraging this periodontal disease treatment option. Speak with your dental team about how your unique and personal treatment plan should be designed.

How Does Laser Gum Surgery Work?

Dental lasers deliver distinct, specific energy in pinpointed light beam frequencies of thermal energy to conduct multiple treatments during gum surgery. Lasers can:

  1. Target and remove specific diseased tissue.
  2. Eliminate germs and damaging bacteria.
  3. Coagulate blood vessels to create and form solid blood clots to promote healing.
  4. Sterilize the entire damaged area.

Dental lasers work by creating an energy change in atoms. The laser light creates a shift in the atoms from their current resting state to a stage called an excited state. This shift causes the atoms to produce energy called spontaneous emission.

When the excited atoms return to their resting state, they now emit particles of light called photons. This process provides the calculated energy necessary to conduct certain functions, like cutting soft tissue without using a scalpel.

Is Laser Gum Surgery Painful?

Laser gum surgery is, for the most part, completely painless. But it is still medical treatment. It is possible you could feel an itching or burning sensation while the laser is directed at your gums.

Laser gum surgery treatments are considerably less invasive than gum flap surgery, so you can expect significantly less pain. You might experience some minor discomfort during the procedure, so your dentist may administer a local anesthetic to help manage the discomfort.

Is Gum Surgery Effective?

The immense majority of clinical trials on laser gum surgery have delivered a success rate of 88 percent or higher. It is equally effective as the traditional gum treatment methods and achieves a quicker healing period.

Healing and Recovery

You can resume your normal activities the day after surgery, or it may take a few days to feel completely normal. You might feel mild soreness for several days. Other temporary side effects can include:

  1. Some very minor bleeding.
  2. Slight swelling.
  3. Some mild discoloration of your gum tissue.

The healing process usually takes a week. During that time, your dentist may recommend:

  1. To not brush or floss the surgical area.
  2. Rinse your mouth and let the water or mouthwash fall out gently by not spitting.
  3. Eat a soft food diet.
  4. Abstain from using any nicotine products like cigarettes.

Laser surgery can decrease and even completely eliminate gum disease. To keep your mouth clean and free from any further infection, you must maintain good oral hygiene habits. These include:

  1. Brushing twice daily for two minutes each time and flossing once daily.
  2. Visiting your dentist twice a year for a preventive care checkup and professional cleaning.

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