When you’re weighing up a treatment for gum disease, “trust us, it works” isn’t good enough. You want to know what the evidence actually says — what outcomes real patients have experienced, and whether those outcomes hold up under scrutiny.
That’s a fair thing to ask. LANAP has been around since the 1990s and has accumulated a substantial body of peer-reviewed clinical research. Here’s a breakdown of what that research shows, what it doesn’t show, and what it means for you as a patient.
What “Success” Means in Periodontal Treatment
Before getting into numbers, it’s worth being clear about what success actually looks like when treating gum disease — because it’s not always what patients expect.
Gum disease is a chronic condition. The goal of treatment isn’t a one-time cure; it’s to bring the disease under control, halt the destruction it causes, and create conditions where the mouth can remain stable long-term with proper maintenance. Success is measured in clinical terms: reduction in pocket depths, reduction in bleeding on probing, stabilization or regeneration of bone levels, and — critically — whether teeth that were at risk are still in place years later.
By those measures, LANAP performs well. Here’s what the research shows.
The Clinical Evidence for LANAP
LANAP is the only laser protocol for treating gum disease that has received FDA clearance based on demonstrated safety and efficacy, and the only one backed by peer-reviewed histological studies — meaning studies that examined actual tissue samples to confirm what was happening biologically, not just clinically.
Pocket depth reduction. Multiple studies have documented significant reductions in periodontal pocket depths following LANAP treatment. Deep pockets — the spaces between teeth and gums where bacteria accumulate — are a primary driver of ongoing disease. Reducing them is one of the most important markers of successful treatment.
True periodontal regeneration. This is the finding that most clearly distinguishes LANAP from traditional surgical approaches. Histological studies — including human clinical trials — have confirmed that LANAP stimulates the regeneration of cementum, periodontal ligament, and alveolar bone. This is genuine new tissue growth, not just the management of existing disease.
Tooth retention. Long-term data on LANAP patients show high rates of tooth retention, including in cases where teeth were significantly compromised at the start of treatment. Patients who were told they might lose teeth have kept their teeth years after LANAP treatment with proper maintenance.
Reduced bacteria levels. Research has demonstrated meaningful reductions in the specific pathogenic bacteria associated with periodontal disease following LANAP, contributing to the stability of results over time.
How LANAP Compares to Traditional Surgery
Studies comparing LANAP to traditional osseous surgery have generally found comparable or superior clinical outcomes for LANAP, with the additional advantage of significantly less post-operative discomfort and faster recovery.
Traditional surgery is effective and well-researched — that’s important to acknowledge. But for patients who are candidates for both approaches, LANAP offers similar or better clinical results with a meaningfully different patient experience. Less pain, less downtime, and in most cases no cutting or sutures.
One area where LANAP has a documented advantage is bone regeneration. Traditional osseous surgery excels at disease management and pocket reduction but does not reliably produce the kind of true periodontal regeneration that LANAP’s histological studies have confirmed.
What Affects Your Individual Results
Clinical studies report averages across patient populations. Your individual outcome depends on a number of factors that are specific to you.
Severity of disease at the time of treatment. Patients with moderate periodontitis generally achieve excellent results. Patients with more advanced disease can also do well, but the starting point matters — there’s more ground to recover, and some cases involve teeth that are too compromised to save regardless of treatment approach.
Compliance with maintenance. This is the factor that most consistently separates patients with durable long-term results from those who experience recurrence. LANAP treats the disease; it doesn’t make you immune to it going forward. Patients who attend their periodontal maintenance appointments every three to four months and maintain good home care keep their results. Patients who don’t, don’t.
Overall health. Certain systemic conditions — particularly diabetes — affect the body’s healing response and can influence periodontal outcomes. Smokers also have consistently less favorable outcomes across all forms of periodontal treatment. If either applies to you, your periodontist will take it into account in your treatment plan and set realistic expectations.
The experience of your provider. LANAP is a technique-sensitive procedure. The PerioLase MVP-7 laser requires specialized training, and outcomes are meaningfully influenced by operator skill and experience. Our periodontists across all four of our Tristate locations are trained, experienced LANAP providers — this isn’t a procedure we offer occasionally alongside other treatments.
What LANAP Won’t Do
LANAP is not a guaranteed fix for every case of gum disease, and no professional provider will tell you otherwise.
Teeth with severe bone loss may not be salvageable, regardless of treatment approach. LANAP can produce remarkable regeneration, but there are biological limits to what any treatment can achieve when disease has progressed for a long time.
LANAP also requires a committed patient. The procedure itself is only part of the equation. Patients who treat LANAP as a one-time fix and disengage from maintenance care typically see their disease return. The research on long-term success consistently points to maintenance compliance as a decisive factor.
What LANAP does offer — for the right patient who follows through — is a clinically validated path to genuine disease control, real tissue regeneration, and the realistic prospect of keeping your teeth for the long term.
Getting a Realistic Picture for Your Specific Case
The most useful information you can get isn’t a population average — it’s an assessment of what’s happening in your mouth and what’s realistically achievable for you.
That starts with a proper periodontal evaluation: pocket depth measurements, X-rays to assess bone levels, and a thorough clinical exam. From there, your periodontist can give you a specific prognosis for each affected tooth and a clear treatment recommendation.
Our teams in Manhattan, Long Island, Westchester, and Nutley see patients at every stage of gum disease. Some arrive with early-stage concerns and straightforward treatment paths. Others come in with advanced disease and complicated situations. In both cases, we are here to help.
Call us today at (877) 440-3564 to speak with our team, or book your consultation online at the location most convenient for you:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is LANAP FDA-approved? LANAP is FDA-cleared — specifically, the PerioLase MVP-7 laser used in the LANAP protocol has received FDA clearance for use in periodontal treatment, based on demonstrated safety and efficacy.
How long do LANAP results last? For patients who maintain regular periodontal maintenance appointments and good home care, LANAP results are durable in the long term. Gum disease is a chronic condition, but it can be effectively controlled with consistent follow-up.
How soon will I see results after LANAP? Some improvements — reduced bleeding, less inflammation — are noticeable relatively quickly. Bone regeneration is a slower biological process that continues over months following treatment. Your periodontist will track your progress at follow-up appointments.
What happens if LANAP doesn’t work for me? If LANAP doesn’t achieve the desired results, your periodontist will discuss alternative or supplementary treatment options. In some cases, traditional surgical approaches may be considered. Your periodontist will be straightforward with you about where things stand at each follow-up visit.