Periodontal
Three real uses for a dental laser, none of them cosmetic gimmicks
LANAP for gum disease, laser pocket disinfection alongside a deep cleaning, and laser cold sore treatment. Copperstone Dental in Meridian uses the laser where it actually does something a hand instrument can't.
Chapter 01
LANAP, gum disease without the scalpel
LANAP stands for Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure. It's a minimally invasive way to treat periodontal gum disease, using the laser to work around the diseased tissue instead of cutting it away with a blade. For a patient whose gums have already receded or pulled away from the bone, that difference in approach means less cutting and a gentler path back to healthy gum tissue.
LANAP isn't the first answer for every gum problem. It's the option for cases where the disease has progressed past what a cleaning can reach, which is also where /services/deep-cleanings-srp picks up the story.
Close-up dental exam at Copperstone Dental, the kind of visit where laser treatment for gum disease is diagnosed
Laser pocket disinfection
Periodontal pockets are the small gaps between tooth and gum where bacteria collect once gum disease has taken hold. Laser pocket disinfection targets the bacteria living inside those pockets directly, and it's typically paired with scaling and root planing rather than done on its own.
Scaling and root planing removes the plaque and tartar below the gumline; the laser goes after what's left behind in the pocket itself. Together they're a more thorough answer to gum disease than either one alone. See /services/deep-cleanings-srp for the scaling and root planing side of that pairing.
Chapter 03
Cold sore treatment
The laser's third use is the smallest and the most immediately useful for a patient who just wants relief: laser treatment for cold sores. It's a quick, in-office option for something that would otherwise just have to run its course.
Dr. Matthew Tuft and Dr. Hunter Brittain handle laser treatment at Copperstone Dental. Call (208) 218-0329 or visit /contact to ask whether a laser approach fits what you're dealing with, and /new-patients has what to bring to a first visit.
Copperstone Dental: Most major dental insurance billed directly. In-office discount plan for patients without insurance. Call (208) 218-0329.