Is LANAP Right for Me? What Long Beach Patients Should Know About Laser Gum Treatment

LANAP—Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure—is a clinically validated treatment for moderate-to-severe periodontitis (gum disease) that uses a specific wavelength of laser energy to remove diseased tissue and bacteria without cutting or suturing. Whether it’s right for you depends mainly on how advanced your gum disease is, your medical history, and what you’re hoping to avoid by choosing a laser-based approach over traditional gum surgery. For many patients in Long Beach dealing with bone loss, deep pockets, or bleeding gums that haven’t responded to routine cleanings, LANAP is worth a serious conversation with a periodontally trained dentist.

What LANAP Actually Does—and What It Doesn’t

Periodontitis happens when bacteria colonize the space between your teeth and gums, forming pockets that standard brushing and even professional cleanings can’t fully reach. Left alone, those pockets deepen, the surrounding bone deteriorates, and teeth eventually loosen. Traditional surgical treatment involves cutting open the gum tissue, physically removing the infected material, and suturing the tissue back down—effective, but with a meaningful recovery period and understandable anxiety for many patients.

LANAP uses a PerioLase MVP-7 laser (the only laser device cleared by the FDA for this specific claim of true regeneration) tuned to a 1064-nanometer Nd:YAG wavelength. That wavelength selectively targets the dark pigmentation in diseased and bacteria-laden tissue while largely passing through healthy, lighter-colored tissue. The procedure runs in two passes: the first pass removes the diseased pocket lining and kills the bacteria; an ultrasonic scaler then cleans the root surfaces; and the second laser pass stimulates a blood clot that seals the pocket and creates the biological environment needed for bone and tissue regeneration.

What LANAP does not do: it isn’t a substitute for good home care, and it won’t prevent gum disease from recurring if the habits that contributed to it don’t change. It also isn’t appropriate for patients whose disease is still at a mild, gingivitis-only stage—in those cases, a scaling and root planing (deep cleaning) is usually sufficient and far less involved.

Who Is a Good Candidate?

The patients who tend to benefit most from LANAP share a few characteristics:

• Diagnosed with Stage II–IV periodontitis (pockets measuring 5 mm or deeper, with documented bone loss on X-rays)
• Medically complex patients who face higher surgical risk—people on blood thinners, those with diabetes, or patients who are immunocompromised often tolerate the laser protocol better than conventional surgery because there’s no incision and minimal bleeding
• Patients with dental anxiety around scalpels and sutures; LANAP involves neither
• Smokers who have already committed to quitting or reducing, since smoking slows any periodontal healing—conventional or laser
• People who need a faster functional recovery, such as those who cannot take significant time off from work for healing

Patients who are not good candidates include those whose disease is gingivitis only, those with certain types of gum anatomy that require hard-tissue reshaping, or anyone whose bone loss pattern requires procedures LANAP isn’t designed to address on its own. A thorough clinical exam with updated periodontal charting and radiographs is the only way to know which column you fall into.

How LANAP Compares to Traditional Gum Surgery

The most common alternative to LANAP for advanced periodontitis is osseous surgery (also called flap surgery or pocket reduction surgery). Both approaches aim to eliminate bacterial infection and reduce pocket depth. Here’s where they differ in practical terms:

Incisions and sutures: Osseous surgery requires flap incisions and sutures. LANAP does not. That difference alone accounts for much of the reduced discomfort and faster recovery associated with the laser procedure.

Recovery time: Patients undergoing osseous surgery typically need one to two weeks before eating normally and returning to full activity. Most LANAP patients are eating soft foods the same day and back to normal activity within 24 hours, though gum sensitivity can persist for a week or two.

Root sensitivity: Both procedures can temporarily increase sensitivity as the gum tissue adapts. With LANAP, gum recession (tissue shrinkage) tends to be less pronounced than with cut-and-suture techniques, which partly explains why sensitivity is often milder post-procedure.

Cost and insurance: LANAP is generally priced comparably to osseous surgery, and many PPO dental plans cover LANAP the same way they cover surgical periodontal treatment—under the “periodontal surgery” benefit. Coverage varies by plan, so it’s worth verifying before your appointment. Neither procedure is inexpensive, and neither is elective in the way cosmetic work is; untreated periodontitis leads to tooth loss, which costs far more to address.

Long-term outcomes: Both approaches, when followed by consistent periodontal maintenance visits (typically every three to four months), produce stable results for most patients. Published clinical data on LANAP shows pocket depth reduction and bone level maintenance over multi-year follow-up periods. The data on true bone regeneration—not just maintenance—is stronger for LANAP than for osseous surgery.

What to Expect at Spring St. Dentistry

Dr. Anthony Hoang and the team at Spring St. Dentistry serve patients across Long Beach, and the evaluation process for any laser gum treatment starts with a comprehensive periodontal assessment. That means full-mouth periodontal probing (measuring every pocket around every tooth), a review of your current X-rays or new radiographs if yours are outdated, and a conversation about your medical history and medications.

If LANAP is a fit, the actual procedure is typically divided into two appointments scheduled about a week apart—each covering one half of the mouth. You’ll receive local anesthesia so you’re numb throughout; the laser handpiece is very thin, roughly the diameter of three human hairs, and is guided along the inside of each pocket. Most patients describe the sensation, when they feel anything at all, as warmth or mild pressure rather than pain. Post-procedure instructions focus on a soft-food diet for the first day, avoiding flossing in treated areas initially, and using a prescribed or recommended antimicrobial rinse.

Follow-up care matters as much as the procedure itself. Periodontal maintenance appointments—distinct from standard hygiene visits—are scheduled at three-month intervals for at least the first year to monitor pocket depths, reinforce home care technique, and catch any early signs of recurrence before they become a problem.

If you’ve been putting off treatment because you’re worried about surgery, or because a previous dentist mentioned you needed “gum surgery” without explaining the options, this is a practical reason to schedule a consultation and ask specifically about LANAP. Call Spring St. Dentistry at (562) 420-8578 or schedule online.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is LANAP painful? During the procedure, no—local anesthesia keeps you completely numb. Afterward, most patients report mild soreness and sensitivity for a few days, manageable with over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen. The absence of incisions means there’s no wound soreness of the type associated with traditional gum surgery.

How long does LANAP take? Each half-mouth session typically runs two to three hours. The two sessions are usually scheduled about a week apart, so the full treatment spans roughly two appointments over two weeks.

Will my insurance cover LANAP? Many PPO dental plans cover LANAP under periodontal surgery benefits, using the same CDT procedure codes as traditional surgical treatment. Coverage percentages and annual maximums vary significantly by plan. The practice can provide a pre-treatment estimate to give you a clearer picture before you commit.

Is LANAP permanent? Can gum disease come back? The treatment itself addresses existing disease effectively, but periodontitis can recur if the bacterial environment is reestablished. Consistent three-to-four-month maintenance visits and diligent home care (brushing twice daily, flossing, possibly using a water flosser) are what keep results stable long-term. LANAP is a reset, not a one-time cure.

I’ve been told I need gum surgery—does that automatically mean I’m a LANAP candidate? Not automatically, but it’s worth asking. “Gum surgery” is a broad term that dentists and periodontists use to describe several different procedures. If you’ve received a recommendation for osseous surgery or pocket reduction surgery due to bone loss and deep pockets, LANAP addresses the same clinical problem and may be an appropriate alternative. Bring your most recent X-rays and periodontal charting to a consultation so the evaluation can be specific to your case rather than general.