Laser Pocket Disinfection in Palatine, IL
We add Laser Pocket Disinfection (LPD) to your regular dental cleaning as a painless, 10–15 minute laser procedure. It uses the PerioLase® MVP-7™, the same laser behind the LANAP® protocol, to wipe out the harmful bacteria living in the pockets between your gums and teeth, where a standard cleaning can’t reach.
Few things we do are simpler, or better at keeping early gum disease from progressing and keeping healthy gums healthy.
Painless and quick
Just 10–15 minutes during your cleaning, with no shots, no antibiotics, and no downtime. You leave with healthier gums right away.
Reaches where brushes can't
Reaching up to 6 millimeters past the visible surface, the PerioLase® laser light destroys bacteria deep inside the gum pocket.
Helps prevent gum disease
By killing off the bacteria behind the inflammation, LPD eases gingivitis and helps stop it from advancing into more serious periodontal disease.
Bleeding when you brush? Gums tender after a cleaning? Ask your hygienist if LPD makes sense at your next visit.
How Laser Pocket Disinfection Works
More than 700 different kinds of bacteria call your mouth home. Plenty of them protect your teeth and even help fight tooth decay, while others bring on cavities and gum disease. Once that balance tips, the harmful bacteria gather in pockets between your gums and teeth, and as they multiply gingivitis (early-stage gum inflammation) takes hold. Leave gingivitis untreated and the infection reaches the bone, which is periodontal disease.
At your cleaning visit, a specially trained hygienist guides the laser beam through the healthy gum tissue. Its energy seeks out and destroys millions of bacteria and their toxins inside the pocket while leaving the surrounding tissue unharmed. You notice the difference right away: less inflammation, fresher breath, and a far cleaner environment for the body to heal naturally.
Benefits of LPD
- Kills bacteria and breaks up the biofilm driving the inflammation
- No shots. The laser is gentle enough that anesthesia is rarely needed
- No antibiotics, so antibiotic resistance is never a worry
- Keeps gums healthy and helps head off the progression of gum disease
- Reaches as far as 6 millimeters into the pocket to keep bacteria from re-establishing
- Safe for medically compromised patients, those on blood thinners, or with diabetes
Good Candidates for LPD
- Patients with gingivitis (early-stage gum disease)
- Patients on periodontal maintenance following gum disease treatment
- Patients headed into major surgery, to lower the oral bacteria that can enter the bloodstream
- Patients with crowns, bridges, sealants, or implants, since LPD is safe around every kind of dental work
- Anyone who simply wants to keep healthy gums healthy
LPD is not a substitute for laser periodontal surgery like the LANAP® protocol, though the two pair beautifully. After LANAP®, LPD often becomes part of routine hygiene visits to help keep harmful bacteria from coming back.
Gum disease has been linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, pre-term birth, and certain cancers, so treating it early matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Want LPD added to your next cleaning? Just mention it when you book your appointment.