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The minimally invasive approach and incredible regenerative results of the protocols remains cutting edge in dentistry; however, some of our valued clinicians have been trained for 10, 15 and sometimes even 20 years.

While the LANAP and LAPIP protocols may seem like “new” techniques in the grand scheme of dental procedures, the fact of the matter is that the power of True Regeneration has been around for much longer than it may seem.

We spoke to several clinicians about their long-term LANAP results, patient acceptance experiences and their overall satisfaction with the LANAP and LAPIP protocols.

Initial skepticism and expectations

One thing we consistently hear from potential LANAP clinicians is that they are skeptical that the LANAP protocol can actually have the extraordinary results it claims — namely, True Periodontal Regeneration as well as the elimination of bacteria causing periodontitis and peri-implantitis. Some of our biggest champions felt the exact same way when they started, but seeing their colleagues’ long-term LANAP results helped them take the leap.

“I had two different friends who were general dentists and were telling me about the PerioLase, and I was very skeptical, but I had a lot of respect for these two dentists,” said LANAP periodontist Alice Moran, DMD, who became LANAP trained in 2008 and practices in San Clemente, Calif. “I saw two of their cases and I was wowed by the results.”

Mark Wilson, DDS, a Minneapolis-hailing LANAPer also trained in 2008, fully anticipated taking advantage of the six month clinical results money-back guarantee.

“I expected to send [the laser] back when I went through the training. After my first couple of post-ops, I was already scheduling people out more than six months  because I knew I was keeping it just based on the original healing,” he said.

Long-term LANAP results

“I’m seeing tremendous long-term results after LANAP,” said Paul Boger, DMD, a Warren, Penn.-based general dentist who did LANAP training in 2009 and later became certified by the IALD to teach the LANAP protocol himself. “It’s been a load of fun, really, just to see initially you see a great result a year after the first treatment, and then even better within the next year, quite often.”

“A lot of the teeth that I would have taken out before, I’m able to hold on to long-term and with great results,” added Dr. Moran.

Dr. Wilson had a particularly compelling long-term LANAP results case that he allowed a former naysayer to watch along with him.

“I had a person coming to talk to my study club who had … written the first paper that said that laser therapy didn’t work, so I invited him to come and see a case,” he said. ” It was a patient that had approximately 25 pockets, 10-13mm deep, a lot of inflammation — his best teeth were 6mm deep. He was relatively blown away by the immediate result just watching the procedure, he could tell a lot was happening. When I was able to show him the results 9 months later, this patient had a half dozen 4mm pockets at the end, and his picture looked like he had never been treated.”

“That man now has a laser and he’s been lecturing on it to the same people he used to lecture to against lasers.”

Benefits over traditional methods — for clinicians and patients

Though many of our clinicians have practiced traditional methods for their entire careers and still continue to do so, there are certain benefits that the LANAP protocol has over conventional surgeries.

“Conventional techniques with cutting, stitching, flapping, bone grafting and all that — you really can’t do that on patients that are elderly; you can’t do it on patients that are diseased,” said Henry Espinosa, DDS, PA, a LANAP-trained doctor since 2008 who practices in Albuquerque. “And people are very fearful unless you put them under heavy sedation. This technique allows us to treat a lot of patients … without a lot of turmoil.”

“It’s a lot less stressful to treat a patient with LANAP than it is with osseous surgery,” added Yetta McCullom, DDS, MS, a Chicago-based periodontist who was LANAP trained in 2008 and later became an IALD instructor. “You don’t get those phone calls about pain, swelling, discomfort, the post-op sensitivity. All of those complaints that I used to get from my surgical patients, I no longer get.”

“The acceptance rate of laser therapy was much higher than talking to somebody about flapping their gums and grinding their bone,” said Dr. Wilson.

A predictable option for peri-implantitis

When most clinicians purchased their PerioLase MVP-7 a decade or more ago, they weren’t necessarily looking for a solution to peri-implantitis. However, the simmering problem of failing implants has been a constant source of frustration for both clinicians and patients alike. The prospect of replacing an implant in an infected site or, for a patient, the cost of a new implant, are huge headaches.

“The idea is that you have to get rid of the bacteria for the area to regenerate,” said Dr. Moran. “Using traditional therapy, there are areas that we never get to.”

That’s what makes the LAPIP protocol different — its ability to vaporize bacteria to make for a healthy site primed for implant placement.

“I place a lot of implants and I treat a lot of implants,” said Dr. Boger. “Some probably never should have been placed … but a surprisingly high number of them were able to be turned around and saved using LAPIP.”

Honolulu-based clinician Braden Seamons, DDS, who has been LANAP certified since 2007, remembers a particularly impressive case in which a woman with lots of bone loss and an ailing implant got a new lease on her dental investment after the LAPIP protocol.

“A patient had an implant with about 85-90% bone loss and at the time, I said I don’t think it’s worth treating, but she said ‘treat it,'” he recounted. “We did, and we regenerated massive amounts of bone for her, and it’s just a really exciting case.”

LANAP and LAPIP treatment: a fulfilling treatment method even 10 years later

Now a decade or more into their LANAP careers, the clinicians all agree that it’s something they are grateful they decided to pursue, as it has become one of the hallmarks of their practices. From positive long-term LANAP results to patient acceptance to ROI, the decision paid off handsomely.

“Of all the things that I do in perio, and I do implants, I do tissue grafts, and I do LANAP — this for me is the most rewarding,” said Dr. Moran. “I enjoy this the most, because I feel like I get the patient well, they’re very grateful, the procedure is not real difficult for them — it’s just such a win-win. it always makes me feel good.”

“Costs less, works better, doesn’t hurt,” added Dr. Seamons. “How can you beat that?”