What Is Laser Pocket Disinfection?

Laser pocket disinfection (LPD) is laser dental procedure typically performed as an addition to the standard dental cleaning procedure. Its purpose is to eliminate harmful bacteria living in pockets between the gums and teeth, bacteria a standard cleaning wouldn’t reach.

Who Is Laser Pocket Disinfection For?

Dentists commonly recommend laser pocket disinfection for patients suffering from gingivitis or more advanced periodontitis (gum disease.) If you’re experiencing gum disease symptoms like swelling, sensitivity, redness, or bleeding, you could have gum disease, in which case your dentist might well recommend LPD to improve your gum health.

How Does Laser Pocket Disinfection Help the Patient?

Harmful bacteria cause the infection that is gum disease. LPD gets rid of the bacteria and the toxins they produce. That will improve gum heath. The laser cleaning is often sufficient to eliminate the disease entirely and provide normal healthy gums. Controlling the gum disease prevents it from progressing to the point where it results in tooth loss and erodes the jawbone.

Moreover, the benefits of eliminating gingivitis and periodontitis can extend beyond simply restoring the patient’s healthy teeth and gums. Research suggests gum disease is linked to diseases of the immune and circulatory systems and that it has the potential to aggravate arthritis.

What Is It Like to Experience Laser Pocket Disinfection?

LPD takes 10-15 minutes and is painless and non-invasive. A trained hygienist uses a state-of-the-art dental laser that passes harmlessly through healthy tissue but destroys bacteria and the toxins they produce. Patients experience immediate improvement in natural gum health, and there’s no healing period or downtime afterward.

In short, when a dentist recommends laser pocket disinfection, the patient can rest easy in the knowledge that the treatment will be fast, pain free, and effective.