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™ treats that infection with the same laser we use for LANAP®, without cutting the gum open.

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.

How LAPIP works

LAPIP™ stands for Laser-Assisted Peri-Implant Procedure. An implant can't get a cavity, but the tissue around it can still get infected: bacteria collect at the gumline, the gum inflames, and over time the bone holding the implant recedes. That is how a once-solid implant becomes a loose one.

A fine laser fiber passes between the gum and the implant, clearing the infected tissue and the bacteria driving it while leaving healthy gum in place.

What to expect

LAPIP is newer than LANAP, and the independent research behind it is still limited. 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 you decide. 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.

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.

Usually one visit

Treatment is typically done in a single appointment, with follow-up at your regular checkups.

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 just feels different from how it used to. Any one of those is worth a look.

My implant was placed somewhere else. Will you see me?

Yes. We evaluate the implant 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 and walk through the options. 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

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 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 implant surface so the gum has something clean to settle against.

STEP 04

Seal and follow up

A final laser pass helps the area seal. Then we see you at your regular checkups; an implant that has had trouble once deserves watching.

Wondering about cost? See Insurance Questions and Financing.

If you were told your implant is failing, call us first.

Call (973) 808-4373 and we'll set up an evaluation at Sora Dentistry in Fairfield to see whether the implant can be saved.

Call (973) 808-4373

Dr. Oh 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.