Miami LAPIP® Specialist

LAPIP® in Miami with Dr. Lamas

Peri-Implantitis is the term used when there is a bacterial infection around a dental implant. Peri-implantitis is essentially the dental implant version of ‘gum disease.’ Treating peri-implantitis as soon as possible is critical to saving the patient’s implant. Currently, the best procedure for the treatment of peri-implantitis is the Laser Assisted Peri-Implantitis Procedure® (LAPIP®). The innovative LAPIP® treatment provides patients with a less invasive, tissue-sparing solution for peri-implantitis that offers long-lasting results.

The Revolutionary LAPIP® Treatment is Available at Lamas Dental Specialists, in Miami

Over the last 20 years, we have seen a variety of advancements in the field of Dental Implants. With a success rate ranging from 95 to 98 percent, it is easy to see why patients are choosing implants over the traditional dental appliances used for replacing missing teeth. However, as with any treatment, there are potential complications, one of which is peri-implantitis.

Peri-Implantitis, Explained

Peri-Implantitis can be compared to periodontitis, which is a chronic bacterial infection that can lead to a loss of the supporting bone and tissue around each natural tooth that is affected. Left untreated, periodontitis can cause an individual’s natural teeth to become loose and, eventually, fall out.

Peri-Implantitis is essentially the same disease; however, it occurs in the tissue and bone that surrounds a dental implant. Just like with periodontitis, inflammation and gum recession may occur with peri-implantitis.

Saving the implant and reestablishing a healthy oral environment requires an early diagnosis that is followed up with an effective treatment plan.

What Causes Peri-Implantitis?

While this condition is frequently caused by issues related to poor oral hygiene, it can also result from:

• An implant being placed in an area of the jawbone that does not have an adequate amount of bone to secure it.
• The use of low-quality dental implant materials.
• An ill-fitting dental crown.
• The use of excessive force while biting.
• Some kind of systemic disease (e.g., diabetes, leukemia, etc.).

Identifying and treating peri-implantitis right away is vital because this disease increases an individual’s risk of suffering from heart disease, pancreatic cancer and a stroke.

How is Peri-Implantitis Diagnosed?

During your initial consultation at Lamas Dental Specialists, in Miami, Dr. William P. Lamas will examine your mouth and take X-rays to determine if bone loss has occurred around the dental implant in question. Since peri-implantitis is characterized by bone loss around the affected dental implant, if bone loss is present, peri-implantitis is most likely the cause.

How is Peri-Implantitis Treated at Lamas Dental Specialists, in Miami?

Prior to the advent of the Laser Assisted Peri-Implantitis Procedure®, treating an ailing dental implant required extensive surgical repair or, in the majority of cases, removal of the ailing dental implant and the eventual placement of a new one. Using the revolutionary Laser Assisted Peri-Implantitis Procedure®, Dr. Lamas often treats the infections, stops the disease and then regenerates new bone around the dental implant.

The LAPIP® Protocol Offers Proven Success

The LAPIP® protocol is a patient-friendly, clinically-proven solution for failing dental implants.

According to Millennium Dental Technologies, Inc., studies indicate that 95 percent of the failing dental implants treated using the LAPIP® protocol stabilized. Since there was no need for a vertically oriented flap, the tissue’s structural integrity is retained; therefore, all other treatment options remain possible if they are needed at some point in the future.

What is this LAPIP® Treatment that Dr. Lamas Performs at His Office in Miami?

LAPIP® is a modified version of the revolutionary Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure® (LANAP®) protocol, which is the procedure used to treat periodontal disease when natural teeth are present. Just like the LANAP® protocol, LAPIP® surgery uses the PerioLase® MVP-7™ laser to target and then remove diseased tissue.

The PerioLase® MVP-7™ is an extremely precise laser that can gently remove diseased tissue and vaporize the bacteria that is residing deep inside the pocket surrounding the dental implant, while avoiding healthy tissue; thus, allowing it to regenerate. LAPIP® eliminates the infection and may also assist with bone regeneration.

The PerioLase® MVP-7™ Encourages Regeneration

Although the PerioLase® MVP-7™ was initially designed to treat gum issues for patients who still had their natural teeth, clinical studies have demonstrated the ability of the PerioLase® MVP-7™ to eliminate the inflammation associated with peri-implantitis. Since the healthy gingival tissue remains untouched, it regenerates. After a LAPIP® treatment with Dr. Lamas at his office in Miami, there is a consistent regeneration of the implant’s support structures.

The 7 LAPIP® Procedure Steps Dr. Lamas Uses at his Office in Miami

1. Using a periodontal probe, the patient’s pocket depth is evaluated.
2. The PerioLase® MVP-7™ laser is used to vaporize diseased tissue, bacteria, titanium, corrosion contaminants and pathologic proteins.
3. Surface accretions are removed using ultrasonic scaler tips.
4. If necessary, the bone tissue is gently modified.
5. The PerioLase® MVP-7™ laser is reinserted to remove any remaining debris and to encourage blood clot formation around the implant being treated.
6. Once the fibrin clot forms at the gingival crest, the adhesion is closed. This greatly reduces the likelihood of reinfection.
7. The patient’s bite is adjusted

Stem cells from the patient’s bone will promote tissue regeneration and encourage this new tissue to reattach. When this tissue reattaches to the dental implant post, a more stable connection is attained.

You will have diet restrictions after your LAPIP® surgery at Lamas Dental Specialists, in Miami:

After your LAPIP® Surgery, your diet will be restricted for about a month. Initially, you will be on a liquid-like diet. This diet will last for three days, followed by a diet of ‘soft foods’ for seven days and then a smart food diet for the remainder of the month.

Recovering from LAPIP® Surgery: Aftercare Instructions

• When arriving home after your procedure, keep your head elevated while you rest. Limit your activity and movement for the initial 24 hours following your LAPIP® surgery.
• Keeping your mouth clean aids in the healing process; however, while you are permitted to care for the rest of your mouth as usual, you cannot brush or floss the areas of your mouth that Dr. Lamas treated with the PerioLase® MVP-7™ laser for at least 10 days.
• On the day you return home from your procedure, you may begin gently rinsing your mouth out with antiseptic mouthwash. You can rinse your mouth up to three times a day using an antiseptic mouthwash. If you like, you can rinse your mouth with warm salt water in between your antiseptic mouthwash rinses. You can use your warm salt water rinse up to three times a day as well. To create your salt water rinse, take ½ teaspoon of salt and dissolve it in an 8 fl. oz glass of warm water. As each day progresses, you can rinse a little more vigorously.
• You should expect to experience some swelling. If you want to keep your swelling down, gently hold an ice pack wrapped in a washcloth or towel, on the outside of your face. You can hold this there for 15 minutes at a time, remove it for 15 minutes and then continue repeating this pattern as frequently as possible for the initial 24 hours following your LAPIP® Surgery. Avoid putting pressure on the treatment areas and never place ice directly on your skin because doing so could cause an ice burn or frostbite to develop.
• If Dr. Lamas has given you an antibiotic, please take the medication as directed. Finishing the entire treatment regimen and adhering to the prescribed medication schedule (e.g., three times a day translates into every eight hours, etc.) ensures that if any bacteria remain, it is eliminated. If any medication you are taking causes you to experience itching, extreme nausea or a rash; discontinue using it and call Dr. Lamas’ office at (305) 440-4114 immediately.
• It is common for the gum tissue to change colors following laser therapy; therefore, do not be alarmed if your gums turn gray, white, yellow, purple, blue or red, and/or if they look stringy. All of these reflect the gingival tissue’s normal response to laser therapy.
• If you had several dental implants treated, blood oozing is possible and once the blood dissolves in the saliva, the actual amount of blood present is greatly exaggerated. Try to determine where the oozing is coming from and just place pressure on that area by biting down on a piece of gauze. If you are unable to find the exact location, gently rinse your mouth iced water, the cold temperature will help constrict the blood vessels to reduce blood flow to that area.
• To aid in the healing process, if you like, you can place a wet tea bag of standard black tea in the area you believe the blood is oozing from. The tannic acid in tea helps constrict blood vessels to form a clot.
• You can use over-the-counter pain medication (e.g., Tylenol, Motrin, etc.) to reduce inflammation and decrease pain. If you have never taken the pain medication you are considering before, or you are on other medications, it is essential that you contact your physician and/or ask your pharmacist if it is safe for you to take the medication with your regular meds.

The dental implants you had treated with LAPIP® may become tender and sore as the ligaments and bones surrounding them regenerate and become firmer. These symptoms can begin as early as two weeks following your LAPIP® and continue for a year, or longer. These symptoms signify that healing is taking place; however, it may also indicate that your bite needs to be adjusted; therefore, if you are experiencing tenderness in the treated areas, contact Lamas Dental Specialists in Miami at (305) 440-4114 to schedule your bite-adjustment appointment.

Your Diet Following LAPIP® Treatment

It is essential that you eat well and drink plenty of fluids after your LAPIP® surgery as this helps your body heal. Try eating soft foods that are considered nutritious (e.g., cottage cheese, eggs and yogurt, etc.). If possible, once you begin eating the soft-food diet, avoid chewing in the area of the mouth that Dr. William P. Lamas treated. If you had more than one dental implant treated for peri-implantitis, this may be impossible: In a case such as this, just avoid placing a lot of pressure on your teeth as you chew.

The First Three Days: A Liquid-Like Diet

While you are on the liquid-like diet, you can ‘eat’ anything that can be placed into a blender and turned into a smoothie. By following this liquid-like diet, you are giving the blood clot a chance to heal. In addition, do not drink through a straw during this phase of the healing process. When you drink through a straw, a vacuum is created in your mouth: This vacuum can cause the blood clot to break free. You can still take your daily multivitamin during this phase of the healing process.

The Next Seven Days: Mushy Foods

After the liquid-like diet, you are ready to graduate to the soft-food diet. Soft foods include fish, chicken, pasta and steamed vegetables. Remember to take your daily multivitamins.

10 Days After Your LAPIP® Surgery: The Smart Food Diet Begins

Even after 10 days of healing, you need to continue making smart food choices by eating softer foods. In addition, take your daily multivitamins.

Softer foods to consider include:

• Anything you can mix in a blender to turn into a soft food.
• Nutritional drinks – Ensure, Slim Fast – do not use a straw.
• Mashed potatoes with butter.
• Baked potatoes with butter and/or sour cream.
• Baked sweet potatoes with butter.
• Mashed yams with butter.
• Butternut squash with butter.
• Steamed vegetables, mashed.
• Creamed soups and broths.
• Ice cream and milk shakes – smooth, with no berries that have seeds, chocolate chunks or nuts of any kind – do not use a straw.
• Creamy peanut butter – no solid pieces.
• Gelatin and/or pudding.
• Yogurt – without berries containing seeds (e.g., raspberries, strawberries, etc.).
• Applesauce.
• Mashed bananas and mashed avocados.
• Any mashed/blended fruit turned into a smoothie – as long as the fruits you choose do not contain any seeds (e.g., avoid kiwis, strawberries and blackberries, etc.) – again, do not use a straw.
• Oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, Malt O’ Meal.
• Eggs, any style, with melted cheese, a cheese and avocado omelet.
• Cottage cheese.
• Cream cheese and other kinds of soft cheeses.

What to Avoid for the First 30 Days After LAPIP® Surgery

A successful surgery result requires avoiding several foods for the first 30 days after your laser procedure for peri-implantitis.

Do not chew gum or eat:

• Nuts.
• Cookies.
• Candies.
• Popcorn.
• Chips.
• Any type of food that is hard or crunchy.
• Any kind of food that has tiny seeds or hard pieces in it.
• Meat that has a tendency to shred – it can become lodged under the gingival tissue and between the teeth
• Raw vegetables.
• Salad.

Caring for Your Teeth After LAPIP® Surgery with Dr. Lamas in Miami

After your surgery, it is critical that you continue to practice good oral hygiene; otherwise, another bacterial infection may develop. Once Dr. Lamas releases you to do so, you should begin brushing and flossing every day. In addition, rinse with an antimicrobial mouthwash that is safe for use with dental implants. Avoid using the mouthwash directly after brushing your teeth; otherwise, you will be rinsing away all the fluoride benefits you just received from the toothpaste.

By practicing good oral hygiene, you greatly reduce the likelihood that you will develop peri-implantitis again.

If you have dental implants and you are experiencing a problem, do not wait to seek treatment; otherwise, by the time you do, it may be too late to save your implant. As a Certified Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure® (LANAP®) Laser Periodontal Therapy Clinician, Dr. William P. Lamas treats peri-implantitis using the FDA-approved PerioLase® MVP-7™ digital dental laser. Contact Lamas Dental Specialists at (305) 440-4114 to schedule your consultation with Dr. William P. Lamas at his office in Miami.

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