Laser-Assisted New Attachment Periodontal Therapy

Gum disease doesn't just affect your gums — left untreated, it can destroy the bone and ligament that hold your teeth in place. LANAP (Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure) is an FDA-cleared, minimally invasive LANAP laser treatment for gum disease that targets infected tissue without cutting or suturing, while supporting the regrowth of healthy attachment around the tooth. Brook Hollow Family Dentistry offers LANAP in San Antonio, TX as an alternative to traditional gum surgery for patients dealing with periodontitis.

What Is LANAP?

LANAP is a patented LANAP laser treatment protocol that uses a Nd:YAG (neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet) laser to treat periodontitis (advanced gum disease). Unlike traditional gum surgery, which involves cutting back the gums with a scalpel and placing sutures, LANAP uses a laser fiber — about the width of a business card's edge — that is guided between the tooth and the gum to remove diseased tissue while leaving healthy tissue intact.

LANAP is the first and only laser periodontal treatment to receive FDA clearance specifically for a protocol shown to promote true periodontal regeneration — the regrowth of new cementum, periodontal ligament, and alveolar bone on a previously diseased root surface, rather than just repair of the gum tissue.

Why Choose LANAP?

Minimally Invasive: No scalpel, no cutting, and no sutures are required.
Less Discomfort: Patients typically experience significantly less pain and swelling than with traditional flap surgery.
Faster Recovery: Because tissue isn't cut, healing time and downtime are generally shorter than conventional gum surgery.
Supports True Regeneration: The protocol is designed to encourage regrowth of bone, ligament, and cementum lost to gum disease, not just removal of infected tissue.
Preserves Healthy Gum Tissue: The laser targets diseased tissue selectively, protecting healthy gum around it.
Reduced Bleeding: The laser promotes clotting during the procedure, which helps control bleeding.
Safe for Most Patients: LANAP can often be performed on patients who take blood thinners or have health conditions that make traditional surgery riskier.

The LANAP Treatment Process

1. Comprehensive Evaluation: Your dentist examines your gums, measures pocket depth around each tooth, and takes X-rays to assess how much bone and attachment has been lost to periodontal disease.
2. First Laser Pass: The laser fiber is inserted between the tooth and gum to remove diseased, infected tissue and target the bacteria responsible for gum disease, while leaving healthy tissue in place.
3. Scaling and Root Planing: Any remaining calculus (tartar), infected cementum, and granulation tissue are carefully removed from the root surface using ultrasonic and hand instruments.
4. Second Laser Pass: The laser is used again along the root surface and bone to decontaminate the area and create conditions for reattachment of the gum tissue to the tooth.
5. Clot Formation and Healing: The laser helps form a stable blood clot between the gum and root surface, sealing out bacteria and allowing the tissue to heal and reattach as the area recovers.

Who Is a Candidate for LANAP?

LANAP is generally recommended for patients with moderate to severe periodontitis — gum disease that hasn't responded to non-surgical treatments like scaling and root planing, or that has progressed to the point where bone and attachment loss is present. During your consultation, your dentist will evaluate your pocket depths, bone levels, and overall oral health to determine whether LANAP or another periodontal treatment is right for you.

Caring for Your Gums After LANAP

Follow your dentist's instructions on diet and oral hygiene during the initial healing period.
Attend all follow-up appointments so your dentist can monitor healing and pocket depth.
Maintain regular professional cleanings and periodontal maintenance visits to protect your results.
Practice consistent brushing and flossing to keep new bacteria from re-infecting treated areas.
Avoid smoking, which interferes with healing and increases the risk of gum disease progressing.

Your Experience at Brook Hollow Family Dentistry

Dr. Virendrasinh Chauhan and the team at Brook Hollow Family Dentistry begin every periodontal case with a thorough evaluation of your gum health, including pocket depth measurements and X-rays to assess bone levels. If LANAP is right for you, the procedure is performed comfortably in-office with anesthesia to keep you at ease throughout treatment. Afterward, our team will guide you through the healing process and schedule follow-up visits to make sure your gums are recovering as expected and to help you maintain your results for the long term.

Frequently Asked Questions

LANAP laser treatment (Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure) is an FDA-cleared laser therapy that treats periodontal (gum) disease by removing infected tissue with a laser instead of a scalpel, while supporting regrowth of the bone,ligament, and gum attachment around the tooth.

LANAP is less invasive than traditional flap surgery because it doesn't require cutting or suturing the gums. Many patients experience less pain, less swelling, and a faster recovery compared to conventional periodontal surgery, though the right treatment depends on the severity of each case.

LANAP is performed under local anesthesia, so patients don't feel pain during the procedure. Because the laser is less invasive than traditional surgery, most patients report only mild discomfort afterward, which is typically easier to manage than after scalpel-based gum surgery.

Recovery time varies by patient and severity of gum disease, but because LANAP doesn't involve cutting or sutures, most patients return to normal activities and diet more quickly than with traditional gum surgery. Your dentist will give you a recovery timeline based on your specific case.

Yes. LANAP is the only laser periodontal protocol cleared by the FDA specifically for promoting true regeneration — new cementum, periodontal ligament, and bone — on root surfaces damaged by periodontal disease.

Patients with moderate to severe periodontitis, including those who haven't responded to non-surgical treatments like deep cleaning, are often good candidates. A full evaluation of gum pocket depth and bone levels is needed to confirm if LANAP is appropriate for you.

Many cases can be completed in one or two sessions, often treating one side of the mouth at a time. Your dentist will recommend a treatment plan based on the extent of your gum disease.

Coverage for LANAP varies by insurance provider and plan, since it's classified as a periodontal treatment. Our team can help you understand your coverage and discuss payment options during your consultation.

Brook Hollow Family Dentistry offers LANAP laser gum treatment in San Antonio, TX. Schedule a consultation to have your gums evaluated and find out if LANAP is right for you.

LANAP in San Antonio, TX: Laser-Assisted New Attachment Periodontal Therapy

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