If you have been told you need gum surgery, or you have had cleanings for years and the pockets never close, LANAP may be the answer. It is done here at our Yakima office on South 40th Avenue, by a board-certified periodontist, with oral sedation if you want it.
LANAP stands for Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure. Instead of cutting the gum open, folding it back, cleaning underneath and stitching it closed, we pass a laser fibre about the width of three hairs into the pocket beside the tooth and do the work from inside. The laser removes diseased tissue and bacteria and leaves healthy tissue alone. A second pass seals the pocket so the gum can reattach to the tooth instead of simply healing over.
The laser is the PerioLase MVP-7, the only one cleared by the FDA for this protocol. We have used it since 2018.
The advantage of seeing a specialist is that you are not put in a box. Some cases need the conventional approach: open, clean, graft, close. Some cannot be treated with a laser at all. Many can. Which one you are depends on your gums, your bone and your x-rays, and we will tell you plainly at the consultation. We do both, so we have no reason to steer you towards one.
The most common thing we hear afterward is that people expected it to be much worse than it was.
Two visits of about two hours each, half the mouth at a time. If you would rather get it over with, we can treat the whole mouth in one longer session of about four hours. Oral sedation is available for either, and works very well for people who are anxious.
The area is numbed, so the treatment itself is comfortable. Afterwards, because there is no incision and no stitches, most people describe tenderness for a day or two rather than pain. It is minimally invasive, but it is still treatment, so we ask you to take it easy: soft food for the first days and no brushing directly on the treated gums until we say so. Most people are back at work the next day.
Gum disease is what periodontists train three extra years to treat. Dr. Abdullah Alkanan is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and teaches periodontics at Pacific Northwest University's School of Dental Medicine, here in Yakima. Every complex case is also reviewed with Dr. Muhammad Saleh, a board-certified periodontist and a lead author of the national guidelines on disease around implants.
Consultation, x-rays, the treatment itself and every follow-up visit take place at our Yakima office. Nothing is sent to another city.
Our Yakima office is in-network with Delta Dental and with the Careington network. Other plans are welcome and we file the claim for you. Periodontal treatment is often partly covered; we will check your plan and tell you what to expect before you decide anything. Monthly payment plans are available for the balance; see insurance and financing.
Board certification is the highest credential in periodontics, and both of our doctors hold it. Complex cases here are reviewed by both: the surgeon who will do the work, and the specialist who helped write the research it rests on. A second opinion is built in, with no extra step for you.
Diplomate, American Board of Periodontology · Faculty, PNWU School of Dental Medicine
Founder of the practice. Trained in the UK and the United States, teaches periodontics at the dental school in Yakima and lectures internationally. Conservative planning, honest advice, and no corners cut.
Read his full bio
Diplomate, American Board of Periodontology · Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Michigan
More than 140 published papers and a lead author of the national guidelines on disease around implants. Other surgeons travel to learn implant surgery from him. Calm, thorough, and clear about what he is doing and why.
Read his full bioWhen your dentist wants a specialist involved, this is where they send you.
We can't put a real number on a webpage, because the honest answer depends on what your exam and 3D scan show. What we can promise is that you'll get a written treatment plan with an exact figure on it before you commit to anything. No surprises added later.
Most patients have some insurance coverage, and we'll check yours and tell you what it will and won't pay. For the balance, we work with three financing companies so you can spread the cost over time — many patients qualify for plans with no interest if paid within the promotional period.
Ask us at your consultation and we'll walk you through the options and the monthly numbers.
How the laser works, a day-by-day recovery guide, and Dr. Alkanan's video on why we treat gum disease the least invasive way that will actually work: LANAP laser gum treatment →
Call any of our three offices, or send us a request and we'll get back to you. Phone hours are Monday to Friday, 7am to 3pm.