Comparison of Diode Laser and Scalpel technique in the treatment of Gingival Melanin hyperpigmentation

Abstract

Background: A smile can bring happiness into one’s life and also create positivity in the surrounding environment. Black or brown gums is a very common problem among all races of men and women that one complains to a periodontist. Depigmentation of melanin hyperpigmented gingiva can be carried out using scalpel and diode laser. Material & Methods: 10 patients having uniformly dense band of bilateral physiologic gingival hyperpigmentation on the facial aspect of maxillary and mandibular gingiva were included in this study. Each patient underwent initial phase 1 therapy (oral hygiene instructions, scaling and root planning) 1 week before the depigmentation procedure. A split mouth study was followed. In test group depigmentation was done by Laser and in control group depigmentation was done by scalpel. Followup was done at 1 week,1 month , 3 months and 6 months. Results: There was no statistical significance in plaque and gingival index in both the groups. At 6 months in group A, repigmentation was seen in 7 patients and in group B, repigmentation was seen in 6 patients. Conclusion: The methods used here produced desired results and above all, the patients were satisfied with the outcome, which is the ultimate goal of any therapy. The scalpel remains the gold standard because of its convenience and cost effectiveness, but with proper adhesion to safety measures, the diode laser can also be used to remove gingival pigmentation efficiently.