LANAP – Laser Surgery for Gum Disease – Charlotte Dentist

Gum Disease is the Hulk, LANAP is Chuck Norris

My friend and dentist/blogging colleague of Saginaw, MI, Dr. Alan Mead wrote an article early in 2013 in which he compared Gum Disease to the Hulk. It’s really a cool article, which I recommend you read in full, but I’ll paraphrase it here: Gum disease is caused by a combination of bad bacteria, poor dental hygiene, and an immune system gone wild. Just like mild-mannered Bruce Banner, who turns into the Hulk when he gets angry, when your immune system is trying to kill the bad bacteria but can’t (too many in the tartar and plaque), it starts going crazy and ends up damaging your own body. Yup, that’s right…..a lot of the damage that is caused by periodontal disease is actually caused by your body insanely and mindlessly trying to kill bacteria. So that’s how gum disease is like the Hulk. […]

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:33:50-04:00 June 26th, 2013|LANAP - Laser Surgery for Gum Disease|0 Comments

Drug for Osteoporosis May Help Treat Gum Disease

It's fascinating to see the kinds of studies that are being done by different universities and drug companies, because sometimes you get a rather unexpected result. In this case, researchers at the University of Michigan found that a drug made by Eli Lily, Forteo (generic name teriparatide) seems to actually help regenerate bone in jaws that was lost due to gum disease. The really cool thing is that the regenerative effect seems to continue for some time after the patient even stops taking the drug. What a wonderful additional tool this would be in our efforts to reverse bone loss and save teeth! Now, one should not take the message away that you would not need to keep seeing your dentist regularly and have the appropriate dental treatments for periodontitis, but if you're making the effort to brush and floss regularly, use antibiotic mouthwashes, and get either Scaling/Root Planing (aka "Deep Cleaning") or LANAP (aka Laser Periodontal TherapyTM), then adding yet another treatment would be even more beneficial. Read on for more details: Osteoporosis drug heals bone wounds in gum disease patients 20. October 2010 03:05 A drug marketed to grow bone in osteoporosis patients also works to heal bone wounds in gum disease patients, a University of Michigan study suggests. "This new approach for the treatment of periodontal disease could allow us to rebuild some of the bone that is lost due to periodontal disease, which until this point has been very difficult to achieve," said Jill Bashutski, clinical assistant professor at the U-M School of Dentistry and first author on the study. "Current treatments to re-grow bone around teeth affected with gum disease have limited success rates." The findings are significant because gum [...]

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:42:49-04:00 November 13th, 2010|ANNOUNCEMENTS, Gingivitis, LANAP - Laser Surgery for Gum Disease|0 Comments

Another Fabulous LANAP Experience

Can Gum Surgery Work and Actually Be Comfortable? Well, to answer that question, let me tell you about a recent patient who found us online through my website devoted to LANAP, aka Laser Periodontal TherapyTM, which is www.LaserDentistCharlotte.com. Remarkably, he drove over 4 hours to see us from just north of Myrtle Beach, SC because he couldn't find anyone else near him (there are a few, but not that many) to provide this incredible treatment. When he came in, he related that his last dentist wanted to pull anywhere from 8-12 teeth that were thought to be hopelessly loose due to his really severe periodontal (gum) disease, but his genuine hope was that he would not need to lose any more teeth than he already had lost, which is why he was willing to drive so far. His consult was late morning on a Tuesday, and we determined that he was indeed a very good candidate for LANAP, and I was confident that we will not need to take out ANY teeth for many years to come with LANAP. Due to the length of his drive, we were able to rearrange our afternoon schedule to do the entire treatment that day (for which he and I are very grateful to our understanding patients). His treatment included the following: The Steps In LANAP Laser Gum Surgery Molds of his teeth to have our lab make nightguards for both top and bottom teeth, which will prevent his tooth-grinding from putting undue pressure on his teeth at night, and Splinting of his teeth: this means that we used bonding to "connect" all his top teeth together and then all his bottom teeth together, so no 1 tooth would [...]

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:42:53-04:00 November 9th, 2010|LANAP - Laser Surgery for Gum Disease, Laser Dentistry, Periodontal (Gum) Disease|0 Comments

The Southern Women’s Show from a Dentist’s View

Well, it's been almost 2 whole days for Smiles by Payet Dentistry here at the SWS, and it's been a blast. Admittedly, as a happily married guy, I've probably not enjoyed it as much as the women or as if I were single :-) , but it's been a blast as an exhibitor for the first time (it won't be the last for sure). We put a lot of work into our booth, so of course we'd love it if you stopped by Booth 204-206, which is right by the Fashion Stage to the left of the Main Entrance. A couple of my awesome staff, Rosie and Kay, set it up with some help from Kay's friends, Patti and Chuck. Check it out: It's a lot of fun watching people, of course, and it's been fun watching people and getting to talk to so many as they go by, or as they stop and ask questions about our Oxyfresh Fresh Breath products, the Six Month Clear Adult Braces, Laser Periodontal Therapy, or Invisalign. Since I have my camera with me, fellow professional photographers do stop to chat as we're shooting the fashion shows (it's easy to spot us with big white lenses LOL); we've also gotten to meet a number of the models after they've finished their shows, and I'm excited to say [...]

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:43:05-04:00 September 17th, 2010|ANNOUNCEMENTS, Cosmetic dentistry, Dental Care Payment Options, Dental photography, LANAP - Laser Surgery for Gum Disease, Laser Dentistry, Periodontal (Gum) Disease, Six-Month Braces|0 Comments

Saving Teeth from Gum Disease and the Trash Can – Ain’t This Awesome?
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Saving Teeth from Gum Disease and the Trash Can – Ain’t This Awesome?

LANAP - Laser Surgery for Gum Disease, Laser Dentistry, Periodontal (Gum) Disease

Saving Teeth from Gum Disease and the Trash Can – Ain’t This Awesome?

Having practiced dentistry now for 12 years, I've seen a lot of different stuff, tried different technologies, different techniques, etc. Most of it works pretty well, some of it we discard and look for something new or better, and occasionally we scrap the new and return to the tried-and-true techniques and methods that have been around for a long time. The ultimate goal, of course, is to provide the best dentistry possible that will last the longest time, right? Because after all, I know that you want to sit in my chair as little as possible. :-) LANAP and Six-Month Braces for Healthy Gums and Straight Teeth Of all the different things we do, though, there is now 1 that is just so incredibly satisfying to provide our patients, and that is LANAP, or Laser-Assisted New Attachment Protocol, which we perform with our Periolase MVP-7 laser. First of all, it's is just pretty cool that we have a laser! (Imagine here Dr. Evil from Austin Powers putting his fingers up and saying "Laser" LOL) But what's simply AWESOME about having the Periolase is what we can do with it, and that is to treat periodontal (gum) disease more comfortably and effectively than anything else available. Because of how amazingly well the Periolase works, it is just this terrific feeling we get every time we treat a patient, or when we see patients coming back in for follow-ups, because they actually LIKE coming to see us! And I have to tell you, there aren't many things that patients WANT and LIKE coming to see us about. The other one, of course, is [...]

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:43:10-04:00 August 19th, 2010|LANAP - Laser Surgery for Gum Disease, Laser Dentistry, Periodontal (Gum) Disease|0 Comments

Six-Month Braces if you have Gum Disease? YES!

Patients with periodontal (gum) disease often end up being very embarrassed about their smiles, because as the disease progresses and more bone is lost, the teeth start drifting. It's not uncommon to see the teeth flared out with a lot of spaces between them, or the bottom front teeth really crowded as the teeth shifted with the bone being lost. Very often, these cases are the kind that would respond very well with our Six Month Braces, but there's a little problem......if you try to move teeth with braces while there is active gum infection going on, you will only make the situation worse, with the result being even more bone loss, more gum recession, and eventually even looser teeth than before you started. While it might seem like your smile is improving during the process, once the braces came off, and the support they provided was gone, you'd suddenly realize you were closer than ever to losing your teeth entirely. So it's not uncommon that people simply become resigned to not only having gum disease, bad breath, etc., but to living with a smile that embarrasses them. Now There is a Way! As one of only 4 dental offices in the city of Charlotte (along with 1 in Salisbury and 1 in Fort Mill, SC) with the Periolase MVP-7 dental laser, with which we perform Laser Periodontal Therapy(TM), a patented procedure that treats gum disease more effectively and more comfortably than any other procedure currently available, we can actually regenerate bone and healthy gum attachment. And THAT is why it allows us to offer patients a way to not only save their teeth from gum disease and dentures, but also to give them a [...]

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:43:15-04:00 August 13th, 2010|Dental Care Payment Options, Dental Insurance, LANAP - Laser Surgery for Gum Disease, Laser Dentistry, Periodontal (Gum) Disease, Six-Month Braces|0 Comments

Is There a Comfortable Treatment for Periodontal (Gum) Disease? YES!

I just got off the phone with one of our patients from yesterday for whom we had done LANAP, also known as Laser Periodontal TherapyTM, as I wanted to check and see how she is doing today. And even though I have heard the same exact story practically every single time, I still find it wonderful to hear, and so I wanted to relate it to you (I'll ask her at her first follow-up appt. next week if she wouldn't mind doing a short video herself): Bear in mind......this lady has moderately advanced periodontal (gum) disease, and so when we were doing her treatment yesterday, we had to do a LOT, not just with the Periolase itself, but also with the ultrasonic scaler/cleaner that we use to remove all of the tough tartar build-up; to treat her whole mouth took about 2.5 hours, so she was in our office for quite some time. Fortunately, she was able to watch Dr. Phil during the procedure, which kept her pretty well distracted LOL. So what did she say when I asked her how she felt immediately afterwards and also today? Basically, she said that she took just 1 (ONLY ONE!!!!) 800mg Ibuprofen tablet yesterday "just in case," but since then, she has had practically no pain, and only a tiny bit of soreness, and she has not had to take ANY further pain medication of any kind! That is one of the things I simply LOVE about doing LANAP -- even though we are treating the gum disease very aggressively, the physical properties of the laser stimulate healing so much and soothe the body so much, that patients are always amazed at how well they feel afterwards. [...]

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:43:24-04:00 June 11th, 2010|LANAP - Laser Surgery for Gum Disease, Periodontal (Gum) Disease, Six-Month Braces|0 Comments

Smiles by Payet Dentistry is Moving in May!

As we've been telling so many of our patients in recent months, we are moving to a new office around the middle of May 2010, and we're REALLY excited about this! For a number of reasons, our new office is going to make it so much easier for us to see even more patients, faster, with BETTER customer service than we already strive to offer every day. Read on for more........: Expanding from 3 Treatment Rooms to 6: We will be dedicating at least 1 of those new rooms strictly to our Six Month Braces, because we are seeing so many adults who want a pretty, straight smile, but who don't want or need to go through comprehensive orthodontics. In addition, we will be soon adding Tip-Edge Orthodontics for our teen patients, which will make orthodontic treatment for both parents and teens even more convenient. Private Consultation Room: Oh how nice this will be. For a while now, we've had to use a converted treatment room for consultations, but it's never been as quiet and private as we'd have liked. That's changing! You'll have total quiet and privacy when discussing whatever you need to tell us. Kid's Play Area: There will be a small area in the Reception are just for kids to play, which will make it so much easier for parents with those small children to keep their appointments. Internet Bar + Free WiFi: In today's interconnected world, it's so important to be able to stay connected. We will have a separate WiFi network just for our patients, and the one that we use will be securely encrypted to maintain privacy. And while we will work to ensure your waits are minimal, if [...]

By Charles Payet| 2014-08-27T16:03:27-04:00 April 19th, 2010|ANNOUNCEMENTS, Cosmetic dentistry, LANAP - Laser Surgery for Gum Disease, Six-Month Braces|0 Comments

What’s the difference between Gingivitis and Periodontal Disease?

This is one of those simple questions that can seem quite confusing to the public, because most dental offices don't do an adequate job explaining the difference, and sadly, periodontal disease is still one of the most under-diagnosed and under-treated diseases in the United States. Part of the reason for the lack of treatment does come from the lack of proper diagnosis, but the other part is most commonly that patients believe that treatment for periodontal disease is too uncomfortable or that it doesn't seem to work very well. Fortunately, we now have a genuine treatment that both works and is comfortable: Laser Periodontal TherapyTM. Still, it is important to understand the difference, so you can know if you do or don't have either gingivitis or periodontal disease, and what you can do about it. Gingivitis In the simplest terms, Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums, caused by a build-up of plaque around the teeth that is not completely and regularly cleaned by good brushing and flossing. You could think of it as a paper cut on your skin -- you know, it gets really red and irritated and sore, will bleed a bit, but if you take good care of it by putting ointment on and a bandaid (the equivalent of good brushing and flossing), it will go away quickly. What do you need to do to cure gingivitis? Brushing at least twice/day Flossing at least once, preferably twice/day, with good technique, and possibly Using a non-alcohol-based, fluoride mouthrinse. If left untreated, gingivitis can progress to become periodontal disease if there are other contributing factors, but it does not automatically do so, and it can be reversed with improved care of your teeth and [...]

By Charles Payet| 2017-06-09T20:43:48-04:00 February 16th, 2010|Gingivitis, LANAP - Laser Surgery for Gum Disease, Periodontal (Gum) Disease|0 Comments

2009 is Almost Over – Use Your Dental Benefits/Flex Plan $ or Lose Them!

USE IT OR LOSE IT! Your Dental Insurance, that is. Did you know that, when your dental insurance year runs out, you LOSE whatever benefits you have left? Unlike phone minutes, there’s no “roll-over” for your insurance, so once they’re gone, they’re GONE. We are rapidly approaching the end of 2009, and our schedule is already filling up for those last appointments of the year; if you don’t schedule now, you could easily miss out on the opportunity to use your benefits to help you get the dental treatment you need. If you want to use Flex Plan dollars (‘cause you lose those, too, don’t forget!) or Dental Insurance that is still available, please call Liz at your first chance so you don’t miss out. END-OF-YEAR SPECIALS In addition to using your Dental Benefits, we are offering some really cool End-of-Year specials to help you out (hey, if you save some money and I get to stay busy, we BOTH benefit, right?) 1) Get up to an ADDITIONAL $500 off our amazing Six-Month Braces! This has been incredibly popular, and patients tell us almost every day that they can’t believe how fast their teeth are straightening out. Many are going to have the smiles straight and white by Thanksgiving or Christmas already. Since we already have the coupon for $500 off, if you chose this option, you can save UP TO $1000! If you’re doing 1 arch, you save $250 extra, but $500 off if you do both top and bottom teeth. 2) SAVE YOUR TEETH FROM GUM DISEASE AND $500 OFF! If you have gum disease and we’ve talked with you about LANAP, here’s the best way to go: We are scheduling blocks of [...]