Save · Laser Periodontal Care (LANAP®)

Gum surgery, without the scalpel.

LANAP treats gum disease with a laser instead of a scalpel and sutures — removing what's diseased, leaving what's healthy.

If you've been told you need gum surgery, or that a tooth can't be saved, there is another conversation worth having. Second opinions are welcome here.

Two periapical radiographs of the upper right first molar in one patient, stacked vertically: before laser gum treatment and at thirteen months. A dashed red outline on the first film marks the area of bone loss; a dashed green outline on the second marks the same area at thirteen months.

*X-ray appearance in one patient treated by Dr. Oh. Results vary.

What LANAP is, in plain terms

LANAP clears the infection of gum disease with a thin laser fiber — no scalpel, no sutures — and is designed to avoid cutting away healthy tissue.

What gum disease does

Gum disease is an infection in the space between your teeth and gums. Left alone, it quietly breaks down the bone that holds your teeth in place.

How the laser treats it

A fine fiber travels below the gumline and targets the diseased tissue and the bacteria causing the infection, while aiming to leave healthy gum untouched.

The laser then helps seal the area — the same laser that is FDA-cleared for true periodontal regeneration when used in the LANAP® protocol.

What healing looks like

Because LANAP is designed to avoid cutting away healthy tissue, many patients report less discomfort afterward than they expected. Every mouth heals on its own schedule, though — and we'll never promise you otherwise.

If fear of the dentist is what has kept you from gum treatment, read this first — you can stop at any time, and nothing happens without your OK.

For some patients, Dr. Oh adds a Perio Protect® tray to the daily routine after LANAP, as one more way to keep working below the gumline at home. How that works.

No scalpel, no sutures
The laser does the work a blade used to do — the LANAP protocol uses no incisions or stitches, and is designed to spare healthy tissue.
Designed to preserve healthy gum
LANAP is designed to target diseased tissue and bacteria and to preserve more of your natural gumline than conventional surgery typically does.
Built for real recovery
Less post-op discomfort is typically reported compared to traditional gum surgery.
Regeneration, not just repair
When used in the LANAP® protocol, the laser is FDA-cleared for true periodontal regeneration — new cementum, new periodontal ligament and new bone.
A real second opinion
If another office has recommended extraction or conventional surgery, we'll evaluate honestly whether LANAP gives that tooth a future.

Questions we hear

How is LANAP different from traditional gum surgery?
Traditional surgery cuts the gum open, cleans underneath, and stitches it closed. It's effective, but invasive — and often costs healthy gum tissue. LANAP uses a laser instead of a scalpel and sutures, and is designed to target diseased tissue and bacteria while preserving more of your natural gumline than conventional surgery typically does.
Can LANAP save a tooth I was told to remove?
Sometimes. Teeth that once had a bleak outlook are often worth a closer look before anyone talks about removing them.
What is recovery like?
We'll send you home with clear aftercare guidance and check in as you heal. Every mouth heals on its own schedule.
Will the bone and tissue come back?
The laser used for LANAP® treatment is FDA-cleared for true periodontal regeneration — new cementum, new periodontal ligament and new bone — when used specifically in the LANAP® protocol (510(k) K151763, 2016). Cleared is not the same as approved, and it does not promise a result in any one case. Dr. Oh will explain what's realistic for yours.
What if the problem is around an implant, not a tooth?
That is a different procedure with the same laser. See laser care for ailing implants (LAPIP™).

Your visit, step by step

What happens at a LANAP visit

Four steps: measure, clear the infection, clean the roots, then seal and follow through.

STEP 01

Evaluate and measure

Dr. Oh measures the pockets around each tooth — the depth shows where disease lives and how far it has progressed. You'll see the numbers and understand the plan before anything begins.

STEP 02

The laser clears the infection

A fine laser fiber passes gently below the gumline, removing diseased tissue and destroying the bacteria driving the infection. The goal is to leave healthy gum alone.

STEP 03

Roots cleaned smooth

Ultrasonic instruments clear hardened deposits from the root surfaces, giving your gums a clean, smooth foundation to reattach to.

STEP 04

Seal, heal, and follow through

The laser makes a final pass to seal the area and support healing. We then see you at scheduled recalls — healing is a process, and we stay with you through it.

Told you need gum surgery? Call us first.

Call (973) 808-4373 and we'll set up an evaluation — no pressure, just an honest look at your options. 271 US Highway 46, Bldg G, Ste 109, Fairfield, NJ.

Call (973) 808-4373