Scared of Getting LANAP

[Mboone50]

Hi, I just joined. It's great to have this forum. My teeth have never given me any problems, and although I didn't go to the dentist during the pandemic, I brush and floss and gargle. When I finally went to the dentist, I was told that I have severe bone loss, massive gum recession, and my top teeth could start falling out at any time. I was recommended the LANAP laser procedure, but as I understand it, it removes even more of your gums and makes the teeth even looser. And then the teeth move around, so sometimes braces are needed later. I was kind of told (in a mean way by two periodontists) that either I get the laser, or I should just have my top teeth pulled out. But they aren't causing me any trouble, and I am 73, so maybe my mouth won't heal after being zapped by lasers. What have been your experiences with the LANAP treatment? Thank you!

 

[letsconnect]

Hi, I can't help with a personal experience of LANAP, but you can try the search function on this forum (you might have done that already).

If the two periodontists you saw came across as being mean rather than helpful, maybe it's time for a third opinion?

Also, in Europe and the UK, the general consensus among periodontists is that floss alone doesn't stop existing periodontal disease from getting worse, and that interdental brushes (TePe brushes) should be used. The biggest part of halting gum disease is home care, so I'm wondering if the dentists you saw showed you what products to use and how to use them (I presume your teeth are not ultra-loose if they're not causing you any trouble?).

 

[Mboone50]

Thank you! I did find some posts about LANAP, but they aren't really recent. Most people are happy with the outcome, but in a subreddit, a few people said they had disastrous results. At the moment, I not only floss, I use those little brushes every time I eat, I use a Water Pik twice a day, I brush with an expensive electric toothbrush, and I have seven kinds of mouthwash, which I rotate. I don't eat sugar or grain, and my teeth don't feel loose. Also, when I poke at my gums, they feel nice and tight around my teeth, so I'm tempted to just do what I'm doing, although the xrays show massive bone loss and supposedly I have pockets of 8+. LANAP is supposed to promote bone and gum regrowth, but not all the time, and it's thousands of dollars.

 

[letsconnect]

Sounds as if you have a great routine .

It seems quite unusual to have pockets of 8+ and no tooth mobility or tooth loss, and gums that feel nice and tight. Perhaps you could post in the Ask a Dentist section for advice, and see another periodontist for a third opinion?

 

[Mboone50]

@letsconnect Thank you, I agree. My teeth and gums feel fine. I will Ask a Dentist. This is a great forum.

 

[letsconnect]

Sounds good . When you do, be sure to mention all the details. I take it you've had a deep cleaning already and have had them recommended every 3 months? that is normally the first line of defence, apart from home care of course. X-rays/pics will also help if you have them and don't mind sharing them (you can also share them by private message if you feel uncomfortable posting that sort of detail).

 

[Mboone50]

@letsconnect Hi, yes, I have the x-rays and would love to share them with a dentist, but which is the proper forum? My worst fear is not of the having procedure itself but the fear that it will create trouble and cause me to actually lose my teeth faster. Thanks for helping an old lady.

 

[letsconnect]

The Ask a Dentist section would be best, see here:

Ask a Dentist - For Nervous Patients Only

If you suffer with a fear or phobia of the dentist, ask our resident dentists for their advice for overcoming your fears!

www.dentalfearcentral.org

You can use the "Attach files" button underneath the reply box to attach things like pictures etc.

 

[Sigburgos]

@Mboone50 I am new also but I have a suggestion for your decision about your teeth and gums. I am older than you and never had gum issues or bone loss. I would definitely consult your dentist regarding the diagnosis you described. If your gums cannot be treated in a less invasive manner the laser should be all you need. Please do not have any or ALL your teeth removed! Get a second opinion from a highly reviewed dentist, it is not expensive. It is wise to not mention any of the names of your periodontist or others.
Best of luck in getting an honest diagnosis and the correct procedure.

 

[Mboone50]

Hi, Letsconnect and Sigburgos: Thank you! I am happy to say that I did not get any teeth removed. I did end up getting the LANAP procedure: 12 days ago on the lower teeth and 10 days ago on the upper teeth. After getting cost estimates of $5000 to $15,000 for the same procedure in the same mouth, I found a perio with good reviews who charges only $3200, because, hey, it's only a 2-hour procedure and the man has some scruples. The procedure itself should be pain-free, but I decided to take a beta-blocker before the second treatment, because I have a benign but annoying heart condition called SVT, and I am allowed to take beta-blockers as a preventative. Unfortunately, beta-blockers block the action of epinephrine, and guess what, epinephrine is what makes the dental anesthesia last longer. Somewhere in the middle of the procedure, the anesthesia wore off, but a funny side effect of beta-blockers is that you don't care about anything. So I had none of my normal fear and terror of dental procedures even though the pain got intense. Afterwards, I took an 800 mg ibuprofen, and the pain disappeared. The procedure itself is quite easy: You close your eyes, you hear a buzzing, and you smell the laser as it moves through your mouth. Then there is a deep scaling and more laser. Afterwards, you're not allowed to look in your mouth for a few days (I did anyway), and you're supposed to be on a liquid diet for three days, then a soft diet for a month. The healing goes on for 6-9 months or longer under the gum line. I am happy to say that my teeth aren't any looser, which can happen, the gums have indeed shrunk, but they now look healthy and pink, and the procedure is supposed to shrink the pockets. The perio said I had significant infection, which is puzzling since I used to brush, floss, use those brush things, and gargle multiple times per day, I haven't had grains for 15 years, and I don't eat sugar. My overall health seems to have improved, since my immune system isn't fighting all that infection I wasn't aware of. I have my follow-up appointment in a week.

 

[Electricdaisy]

@Mboone50 did your teeth feel loose/looser at all after the procedure?

 

[Mboone50]

My teeth are not any looser, although they were only a tiny bit loose before the procedure. They might be a little tighter. The scary thing is that I have hardly any gums left. All the perios warned me that my guns would "shrink," but it seems that they reduce the gum pockets by chopping off the gums. No gums, no pockets, right? Hopefully my body is thickening the existing bone so my gum-less teeth will stay in my mouth. The interesting thing is that my blood pressure has gone down by 20 points, which I was told would happen once the infection was cleared up. And I've lost 10 pounds, because eating is such a hassle, and my teeth don't feel like my teeth anymore. I've been told that the next step is a bite adjustment, but I don't have the money for any more dental work. I would not recommend this procedure unless you are fully informed of the risks.

 

[Electricdaisy]

@Mboone50 oh wow, thanks for the info. Would you choose a different procedure if you could? Maybe your body just needs time to heal and for your mouth to feel more “normal”?

 

[Mboone50]

I was told by multiple perios that this was the only procedure that could save my teeth, and there were still no guarantees. If I hadn't heard that over and over, I wouldn't have done it. However, you're right--although the initial healing takes 6-8 weeks, apparently it takes 6 to 9 months for a full recovery, and bone density can still improve for up to 3 years afterwards. (My procedures were at the beginning of April.)

 

[Electricdaisy]

@Mboone50 It’s still so recent. I hope you’ll continue to heal and improve and that your mouth begins to feel good again

 

[Mboone50]

@Electricdaisy Thank you so much! Are you thinking about getting LANAP done?

 

[Electricdaisy]

@Electricdaisy Thank you so much! Are you thinking about getting LANAP done?

Yes! I went to a periodontist a couple days ago that measured some of my pockets at 7’s. (5 teeth) said I had bone loss and needed LANAP. I am so scared and filled with anxiety about this, and trying to gather up as much info as I can before dishing out thousands of dollars! They quoted me at $9000. I’m even considering going to Mexico for the procedure but worried about the risks… I really don’t know what to do

 

[Mboone50]

I got quotes of $5000 to $15,000--same procedure, same mouth. My perio in western Chicago charged me $3200, and he was every bit as competent as those others. I mean, they literally just hold a laser wand in your mouth, and the laser does the work. When I remarked that he was much cheaper than the others, the technician said that the doctor was well aware that he was cheaper, but he wanted to make the procedure affordable to more people. It takes less than two hours, so it's not like he's giving it away or living on ramen. I got myself a new credit card that has no interest for two years, and I'm paying it off slowly. My pockets were 10-12, and my bone loss was 30-90%, and every tooth was messed up, so my results are probably not what yours will be. It might be worth it to fly here rather than Mexico, at least for an evaluation. He charged me only $99 initially, which included a CT scan, and he told me that the situation was almost hopeless, but this was my only chance.

 

[Electricdaisy]

@Mboone50 thank you, this is very helpful info. Would it be ok if I got your perio’s contact in Chicago? That is a surprisingly great price for a big city! Really wonderful to know there are dentists out there who charge less to make it more affordable for people . I wonder how much skill is needed to perform LANAP and if it’s more worth it to spend more for a more experienced practitioner, or if it’s a relatively easy procedure where I don’t need to worry so much about the dentist’s skill level or reputation.

 

[Mboone50]

@Electricdaisy Are we allowed to recommend dentists? Oh, well, I guess I'll find out. His name is Dr. Ardeshir Raghian, Laser Dental Center of Chicago, 773-622-3454. Believe me, I worried about skill also, but this doctor had good reviews, and he seemed just as competent (and pessimistic) as the others I went to. I don't think it takes a lot of skill, because the laser is programmed only to destroy gum tissue that is damaged (it's a different color than healthy tissue), so it seemed like he was just moving the tool around my mouth, and the laser decided which tissue to vaporize. In my case, it did a real number on my mouth, because I have hardly any gums left. (Everyone warned me that would happen, though.) You might call him up and ask if he can review your x-rays and give you a phone consultation first. By the way, when dentists take the LANAP training, they are advised to charge $6000, so your guy is overpriced.