Q: I realize that everyone heals at a different rate, and can have markedly different outcomes, from a given procedure — all dependent on things like genetics, current state of overall heath, etc. But I am very curious about the pace, and extent, of post-operative results — be it Localized Laser Periodontal Surgery, or LANAP.
In other words, is it reasonable to expect a 9 mm pocket to “heal” into a 3 mm (or less) pocket?
And, would it (the destined level of healing) happen in a week, a month, a year. . . ? Will healing time be linear (e. g. slow in the first 5 days, faster in the next 10). . . ?
A: There are many factors that determine the rate of healing that we don’t fully understand. We have many cases that have healed in a matter of months and some cases took up to 2-3 years to see significant healing and bone fill. In our periodontal laser practice, we have treated diseased pockets that have exceeded 10mm+ and have seen reductions down to 3-6 mm with radiographic bone fill. However, whenever we have teeth with extremely deep pockets (like 9mm), we always explain to the patient that the prognosis is guarded but we can possibly have success if the laser protocol is followed carefully and we don’t encounter issues in healing.
