Failing Dental Implant Treatment - Morrisville, Durham, & Raleigh, NC

The Gentler Method for Restoring Failing Dental Implants

patient smiling brightly within the mirror after their dental procedure

Prevent Ailing Dental Implants from Failing with LAPIP™

Although dental implants have a high success rate of 95–98%, inadequate osseointegration (fusion) with the underlying bone and a progressive inflammatory disease called peri-implantitis can lead to ailing or failing dental implants.

Our board-certified periodontist offers Laser Assisted Peri-Implantitis Procedure (LAPIP), a gentler solution for treating failing dental implants in Durham, NC, Raleigh, NC, and Morrisville, NC. LAPIP is a modification of LANAP®, the minimally invasive, highly effective laser protocol for treating inflammation associated with gum disease.

Laser Treatment for Peri-Implantitis

As with untreated gum disease, in which infection can impact a natural tooth root, bacteria that form around an implant can lead to a severe illness called peri-implantitis. The inflammatory process is aggressive and progresses more rapidly than gum disease around natural teeth. As peri-implantitis progresses, jaw pain can worsen, gums recede, periodontal pockets deepen, pus can develop around the implant, the implant threads may become exposed, and the implants can loosen, just like natural tooth roots.

The first step in restoring your smile and stabilizing implants is a consultation at Periodontics and Dental Implants of North Carolina. Our periodontist will examine the failing implant(s) to determine the depth of the infected pockets around the base of the restorations. In some cases, antibiotics alone can eliminate the infection and prevent implant failures.

The Evidenced-Based LAPIP Procedure

During the LAPIP procedure in Durham, NC, Raleigh, NC, and Morrisville, NC, the PerioLase® MVP-7™ laser is used to eliminate bacteria, diseased tissue, pathologic proteins, and any contaminants in soft tissue while leaving healthy tissue intact. Surface deposits are removed with an ultrasonic scaler; the laser is used at a specific setting to form a stable fibrin blood clot containing bone stem cells. This encourages surrounding gum tissue to reattach and stabilize the implant while promoting new bone tissue growth.

After the area is healed, the visible portion of the tooth restoration can be reattached. Studies indicate that 95% of the failing implants treated with the LAPIP protocol have reintegrated in the pocket and stabilized with three to eight threads of bone growth.

Benefits of LAPIP Treatment

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Don’t Let Inflammation Damage Your Implants.

Stabilize your smile by scheduling a prompt visit!