Name: Tidewater Laser Perio and Implants
Address: 984 First Colonial Rd Ste 300, Virginia Beach, VA, 23454, US
Telephone: (757) 412-0235
Price range: $$$

Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure

Gum disease does not announce itself. It works below the gum line, quietly, and by the time most patients notice something is wrong the infection has already cost them bone. For decades the only answer was surgery: cut the tissue open, clean the roots, stitch it closed, and accept the recession that followed.

The LANAP^® protocol changed that. It treats periodontal disease with a laser instead of a scalpel. No incisions, no sutures, and far less of the post-surgical recession and sensitivity that made traditional gum surgery something patients postponed for years.

Dr. Kenneth J. Cavallari is a LANAP Certified Clinician serving Virginia Beach and the greater Hampton Roads area. The protocol is FDA cleared, patented, and can only be performed with the PerioLase^® MVP-7^™ laser, which operates at a wavelength that destroys the bacteria driving gum disease while leaving healthy tissue untouched.

Gum Disease Is Not Just a Dental Problem

More than half of American adults have some form of gum disease, and most of them do not know it. What makes that number matter is where the research has gone over the last two decades. Periodontal infection has been linked to cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes complications, respiratory illness, and pre-term birth. The bacteria in your gums do not stay in your gums.

There is also the part patients bring up in the operatory rather than in a study: gum disease makes people self-conscious. Bad breath that brushing does not fix. Bleeding at the sink every morning. The quiet fear of losing teeth. Those concerns are as real a reason to treat as the clinical ones.

Because LANAP works without cutting, patients usually notice a difference quickly. Less bleeding when brushing. Less odor. Gums that look and feel calmer. Full healing takes time, but most patients are back to a normal routine within about 24 hours.

What LANAP Offers Over Traditional Gum Surgery

Healing on a shorter timeline. The procedure is minimally invasive, so the body has less trauma to recover from.
A more comfortable experience. Patients consistently report less discomfort both during treatment and in the days afterward.
Back to your day quickly. Most patients return to work, driving, and normal activity right away.
Your smile line stays intact. Nothing is cut away, so the risk of visible gum recession drops sharply.
Less inflammation and bleeding. The PerioLase^® MVP-7^™ wavelength targets inflammatory bacteria selectively and spares healthy tissue.
Teeth that were written off can often be kept. LANAP has saved natural teeth previously labeled hopeless under conventional treatment planning.
Safe when your health is complicated. The protocol is appropriate for patients managing diabetes, HIV, or hemophilia, and for those taking blood thinners such as Plavix or aspirin.

Do You Have Gum Disease?

Periodontal disease is progressive and largely painless until it is advanced, which is why so many patients arrive surprised by their diagnosis. Watch for:

Gums that bleed when you brush or floss
Red, swollen, or tender gum tissue
Persistent bad breath or a bad taste that does not clear
Gums pulling away from the teeth, making teeth look longer
Increased sensitivity along the gum line
Teeth that feel loose or have shifted position
A change in how your teeth fit together when you bite
Pus between the teeth and gums

If you are seeing any of these, an evaluation is worth scheduling now rather than at your next six month recall.

How Gum Disease Progresses

Gingivitis. Inflammation limited to the soft tissue. Gums bleed and look red, but no bone has been lost. This stage is reversible with professional cleaning and better home care.
Early to moderate periodontitis. The infection moves below the gum line. Pockets deepen, bone begins to erode, and the damage is no longer fully reversible. Treatment shifts to stopping the loss.
Advanced periodontitis. Substantial bone loss. Teeth loosen, shift, or are lost. This is the stage where patients are often told extraction is the only option, and it is also where LANAP has produced results that conventional planning would not predict.

The earlier you are treated, the more tissue and bone there is to save.

How the LANAP Protocol Works

The procedure is completed in a defined sequence with the PerioLase^® MVP-7^™:

Measurement. A periodontal probe records the depth of each pocket to map the extent of the disease.
Bacterial removal. Laser energy is delivered through a fiber roughly the width of three human hairs, placed between the gum and the tooth. It selectively destroys disease causing bacteria and diseased tissue while healthy tissue is left alone.
Root cleaning. Ultrasonic scaler tips remove tartar and calculus deposits from the root surfaces.
Bone stimulation. The laser is taken to the bone level, which releases the body's own stem cells into the site.
Sealing the pocket. A second laser pass forms a stable fibrin blood clot that seals the pocket closed so bacteria cannot re-enter during healing.
Tissue adaptation. Gum tissue is compressed against the clean root surface to encourage reattachment.
Bite adjustment. Your bite is balanced so the treated teeth are not absorbing excess force while they heal.
Regeneration. Over the following months, new attachment forms and bone regenerates around the treated teeth.

What to Expect at Your LANAP Appointment

Treatment is performed in our Virginia Beach office under local anesthetic. Most patients are treated in one or two appointments, and in many cases the entire mouth is completed in a single visit. Compare that to traditional periodontal surgery, which is usually staged across several appointments, quadrant by quadrant.

Dr. Cavallari will walk you through the plan before anything begins, including how many teeth are involved, what the pocket depths look like, and what result is realistic for your case.

Recovery and Aftercare

Most patients drive themselves home and return to normal activity the same day or the next. The fibrin clot formed during treatment is what makes healing work, so protecting it in the early days is the single most important thing you can do.

You will receive specific written instructions, which typically include a soft diet for a defined period, modified brushing and flossing at the treated sites, and avoiding tobacco during healing.

When to call our office at (757) 412-0235:

Prolonged or severe pain
Prolonged or excessive bleeding
A considerably elevated or persistent temperature

Beginning around two weeks after treatment and sometimes continuing for a year or more, teeth may feel sore, tender, or sensitive as bone and ligament regenerate and firm up. That is normal healing. It can also signal a bite imbalance that needs adjustment, so let us know if it persists.

Laser Procedure Post-Operative Instructions

Are You a Candidate for LANAP?

LANAP is appropriate for most patients with moderate to advanced periodontitis, including many who have been told their only remaining option is extraction. It is also a strong fit for patients whose medical history makes conventional surgery riskier, and for anyone who has avoided treatment because of anxiety about scalpels and stitches.

Candidacy is determined by a full periodontal examination: pocket depth charting, imaging to assess bone levels, and a review of your medical history. Dr. Cavallari will tell you directly what the laser can and cannot accomplish in your case.

LANAP for Teeth, LAPIP for Implants

The two protocols use the same laser and the same underlying science, but they treat different problems. LANAP treats periodontal disease around natural teeth. The LAPIP^™ protocol is the version adapted for peri-implantitis, the infection that develops around a dental implant. If you have both natural teeth and implants showing signs of infection, Dr. Cavallari can address both.

Treat Gum Disease Without the Scalpel

If you have been putting off periodontal treatment because of what you have heard about gum surgery, the LANAP protocol is worth a conversation. Bone loss does not reverse on its own, and the sooner it is stopped, the more of your natural smile stays yours.

Call Tidewater Laser Perio and Implants at (757) 412-0235 or request an appointment online to schedule your periodontal evaluation with Dr. Cavallari.

Request Your Consultation

LANAP Testimonials by Patients and Other Doctors

Frequently Asked Questions About LANAP Laser Periodontal Therapy

LANAP — Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure — is an FDA-cleared, patented laser-based treatment for periodontal disease. Instead of cutting and suturing the gums as in traditional surgery, LANAP uses the PerioLase^® MVP-7 laser to target and destroy the bacteria that cause gum disease while leaving healthy tissue completely intact. Dr. Cavallari is a LANAP Certified Clinician at Tidewater Laser Perio and Implants in Virginia Beach, offering this advanced treatment to patients throughout Hampton Roads.

Traditional periodontal surgery involves cutting the gum tissue, removing diseased areas, and placing sutures to close the wound. LANAP requires no cutting and no suturing. The PerioLase^® MVP-7 laser operates at a specific wavelength that selectively attacks disease-causing bacteria without harming healthy gum tissue. This results in significantly less post-surgical gum recession, less discomfort, faster healing, and minimal recovery time compared to conventional surgery.

Yes. The LANAP protocol is the only laser gum disease treatment that has received FDA clearance, which was granted in 2004. It is a scientifically validated, patented treatment protocol that can only be performed with the PerioLase^® MVP-7 laser by trained and certified clinicians. Dr. Cavallari is a LANAP Certified Clinician and one of the providers offering this procedure in the Virginia Beach area.

LANAP offers significant advantages over traditional periodontal surgery including faster healing, as the minimally invasive nature of the procedure allows the body to recover more quickly; less discomfort during and after the procedure; minimal recovery time, with most patients able to return to their normal daily routine immediately; little to no gum recession, since the gums are not cut; reduction in gum inflammation and bleeding; the potential to save teeth that may have been deemed hopeless with traditional treatment; and safety for patients with health concerns such as diabetes, HIV, hemophilia, or those taking medications like Plavix or aspirin.

Many patients notice immediate improvements including less bleeding when brushing and reduced bad breath following LANAP treatment. Because the procedure eliminates the bacteria driving inflammation, the gum tissue begins to heal and reattach relatively quickly. Keep in mind that full bone and ligament regeneration takes time — within two weeks and up to one year or more after therapy, the teeth may feel sore or sensitive as the supporting structures regenerate and firm up. This is a normal and expected sign of healing.

Yes. One of the significant advantages of LANAP is its safety profile for medically complex patients. The LANAP protocol is appropriate for patients with diabetes, HIV, hemophilia, and those taking blood thinners such as Plavix or aspirin — patient populations for whom traditional surgical approaches may carry elevated risk. Dr. Cavallari will review your complete health history during your consultation to confirm LANAP is the right treatment approach for your situation.

Most patients recover without significant complications. However, you should contact our Virginia Beach office at (757) 412-0235 if you experience prolonged or severe pain, prolonged or excessive bleeding, or a considerably elevated or persistent temperature after your procedure. Additionally, if your teeth feel sore or sensitive in the weeks following treatment, this is typically a sign of healing as the bone and ligaments regenerate — but it may also indicate a bite imbalance that needs to be adjusted.

LANAP Laser Periodontal Therapy in Virginia Beach, VA