Save · Laser Care for Ailing Implants (LAPIP™)

When the problem is the implant, not the tooth.

An implant that was fine for years can start to loosen, bleed, or ache as the gum and bone around it become inflamed. LAPIP™ is a laser protocol for treating that infection — using the same laser we use for LANAP®, without cutting the gum open.

We'll look at an implant even if someone else placed it. Not every ailing implant can be saved, and we'll tell you honestly if we don't think treatment is likely to help.

Two periapical radiographs of the same dental implant in one patient, stacked vertically: before laser treatment and at twelve months. Dashed outlines on the first film mark three areas of bone loss around the implant; dashed outlines on the second mark the same areas at twelve months.

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

What LAPIP is, in plain terms

LAPIP™ — the Laser-Assisted Peri-Implant Procedure — treats the infection and inflammation that can develop in the gum and bone around a dental implant. It uses the same PerioLase® MVP-7™ laser we use for LANAP®, and like LANAP, it works without a scalpel or sutures.

What goes wrong around an implant

An implant can't get a cavity, but the tissue around it can still become infected. Bacteria collect at the gumline, the gum inflames, and over time the bone holding the implant can begin to recede. Left alone, that is how a once-solid implant becomes a loose one.

How the laser treats it

A fine laser fiber passes between the gum and the implant, targeting the infected tissue and the bacteria driving it while leaving healthy gum in place. The exposed implant surface is then cleaned, and the laser makes a final pass to help the area seal and settle.

Treatment is usually completed in a single visit.

What to expect, honestly

LAPIP is a newer protocol than LANAP, and the independent research behind it is still limited. What we can tell you is that some implants that seemed headed for removal can be kept, and some can't. Dr. Oh will tell you which he thinks is likely for you before anything begins — and if a different approach or another clinician is the better route, he'll say so.

No scalpel, no sutures
The laser does the work without cutting the gum open or stitching it closed afterward.
The same laser as LANAP®
We use the PerioLase® MVP-7™ for both. If you've had LANAP with us, you already know the experience.
We'll look at any implant
It doesn't matter who placed it. If an implant is giving you trouble, bring it to us.
Usually one visit
Treatment is typically completed in a single appointment, with follow-up at your regular recalls.
Straight answers
Not every ailing implant can be saved. We'll tell you what's realistic for yours, and what the alternatives are.

Questions we hear

How do I know my implant is in trouble?
Bleeding or tenderness around it, a bad taste, gum that looks red or has pulled back, or an implant that simply feels different than it used to. Any one of those is worth a look.
My implant was placed somewhere else. Will you see me?
Yes. An implant gets evaluated on its own merits, not on who placed it.
Will the bone come back around it?
We don't promise regeneration around implants — the research there is still young. The goal of LAPIP is to clear the infection and stabilize what's there so the implant has a future.
What if it can't be saved?
Then we'll tell you plainly, walk through the options, and help you plan what comes next. Sometimes that's a referral; sometimes it's replacing the implant. Either way, you won't be left guessing.

Your visit, step by step

What happens at a LAPIP visit

Four steps: evaluate the implant, clear the infection, clean the surface, then seal and follow through.

STEP 01

Evaluate the implant

Dr. Oh measures the pockets around the implant, checks how stable it is, and looks at the bone on an x-ray. You'll see what he sees before anything is decided.

STEP 02

The laser clears the infection

A fine fiber passes below the gumline around the implant, removing infected tissue and the bacteria driving it. Healthy gum stays where it is.

STEP 03

The implant surface is cleaned

Deposits are cleared from the exposed surface of the implant so the gum has a clean surface to settle against.

STEP 04

Seal, heal, and follow through

A final laser pass helps the area seal. Then we see you at scheduled recalls — an implant that has had trouble once deserves watching.

Told your implant is failing? Call us first.

Call (973) 808-4373 and we'll set up an evaluation — an honest look at whether the implant has a future.

Call (973) 808-4373

Eric Oh, DDS MS, is a general dentist and a Fellow of the Institute for Advanced Laser Dentistry. Implant dentistry and laser dentistry are not specialties recognized by the New Jersey State Board of Dentistry. Dr. Oh provides the services described on this page, including gum (periodontal) care around implants and laser treatment, as a general dentist, not as a specialist. LANAP® and PerioLase® are registered trademarks, and LAPIP™ is a trademark, of Millennium Dental Technologies, Inc. Sora Dentistry is an independent practice and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Millennium Dental Technologies, Inc.