PerioLase® MVP-7 Integrates Laser Precision With Digital Dental Workflows
November 1, 2026
Volume 47
,
Issue 8
,
November/December 2026
Page(s): 414
For Andrew G. Peterson, DMD, MS, the success of modern digital dentistry depends on more than technological precision. It also requires a healthy biologic foundation. A board-certified periodontist practicing in Arcadia, California, Peterson integrates the PerioLase® MVP-7 from Millennium Dental Technologies into a comprehensive treatment philosophy emphasizing periodontal health, tissue preservation, and long-term clinical stability.
Peterson’s introduction to laser dentistry came in 2019 through his mentor, Dr. J. Paul Fuentes, whose documented outcomes with the LANAP protocol challenged Peterson’s assumptions about teeth with questionable prognoses. Only available with the PerioLase MVP-7, the LANAP protocol targets diseased tissue, resulting in true regeneration of the attachment apparatus, including new cementum, periodontal ligament, and bone. Today, Peterson uses the laser daily and is a certified instructor for the Institute for Advanced Laser Dentistry.
“I see laser technology as a natural part of modern digital dentistry rather than something separate from it,” Peterson explains. He considers the PerioLase MVP-7, a six-watt free-running variable-pulsed Nd:YAG dental laser featuring digital technology and seven pulse durations, an important complement to CBCT imaging, intraoral scanning, digital treatment planning, and 3D printing.
In addition to the LANAP protocol, Peterson uses the laser to facilitate soft-tissue management and visualization of preparation margins. Peterson recalls treating a patient requiring periodontal therapy and crown lengthening who also presented with a fractured provisional restoration. Following the initial pass of the LANAP protocol, he obtained a digital impression without additional tissue retraction, designed and 3D-printed a replacement provisional, and delivered it during the same appointment.
The PerioLase also plays a role in Peterson’s implant protocols. He incorporates laser treatment into osteotomy decontamination and explores its potential to improve implant surface wettability before placement, with the goal of improving the interaction between the implant, blood, and surrounding bone. For peri-implantitis, he employs the LAPIP protocol to reverse peri-implantitis and rescue compromised implants.
Precision and adaptability are particularly important to Peterson. “The ability to control pulse duration, energy, and frequency allows us to produce different responses depending on whether our goal is tissue removal or hemostasis,” he says. Procedure-specific settings further support consistency while accommodating individual clinical circumstances. His commitment extends to maintenance, where guided biofilm therapy and laser pocket disinfection complement conventional periodontal instrumentation.
Looking ahead, Peterson believes digital innovation must remain grounded in sound biologic principles. “We can have the most advanced digital planning software, perfectly designed surgical guides, and incredibly precise restorations, but if the surrounding periodontal or peri-implant tissues aren’t healthy and stable, the long-term success of that treatment can still be compromised.” Beyond surgical applications, Peterson emphasizes the importance of clinician education and ongoing evaluation of treatment outcomes. For Peterson, the future lies in integrating laser-assisted regeneration with increasingly sophisticated digital workflows, creating a healthier foundation for predictable treatment of periodontal disease and implant care.
Millennium Dental Technologies, Inc.
855-646-3359
