Sridevi Shetty KS* and Eric Mario Shailander A

Department of Periodontology and Implantology, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, India

*Corresponding Author: Sridevi Shetty KS, Department of Periodontology and Implantology, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, India.

Received: July 25, 2022; Published: August 18, 2022

Abstract

Aims and Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness, extent of repigmentation of the gingiva, time taken for the procedure, subject’s response and preferences after surgical scalpel and diode laser as a treatment of gingival hyperpigmentation.

Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled clinical study with 17 periodontally healthy subjects, having esthetic complaints of excessive gingival melanin pigmentation on maxillary and mandibular labial gingiva was included. The maxillary and mandibular anterior regions were treated alternatively by surgical scalpel technique or Diode laser irradiation. Clinical measurements like plaque index, gingival bleeding index, DOPI and gingival shade guide assessment were evaluated at baseline (at the day of surgery), 3 months and 6 months after surgery. All subjects answered a VAS questionnaire (pain, bleeding, swelling of mucosa and mean number of analgesics taken post-operatively) at each day following surgery till one week, to evaluate post-operative symptoms as well as subject’s preference.

Statistical analysis was performed by using Descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Fisher exact test.

Results: The plaque index and gingival bleeding index at 3 and 6 months showed gradual rise but was not of statistical significance. The DOPI score at the end of 6months showed no difference in the repigmentation and thus no statistically significant variation was found in both the study groups. The gingival shade guide score also recorded repigmentation at the end of 6 month with lesser intensity of pigmentation in the control group and this was statistically significant when compared to the test group.

It was also noted that there was no difference in the VAS score which was recorded in relation to post-operative pain, swelling, bleeding and number of analgesics taken in both the treatment groups. However, subjects preferred Diode laser as a treatment option when compared to surgical scalpel, as the intra-operative time taken for the treatment procedure was less which was statistically significant.

Conclusion: Therefore, both the techniques evaluated are an effective treatment option for the management of gingival hyperpigmentation. Thus, the option of treatment technique is entirely practitioner’s prerogative.

Keywords: Gingival Depigmentation; Diode Laser; Surgical Scalpel; Pigmentation; Esthetics; SmilE

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Citation

Citation: Sridevi Shetty KS and Eric Mario Shailander A. “Gingival Melanin Pigmentation by Surgical Scalpel and Diode Laser - A Comparative Clinical Study". Acta Scientific Dental Sciences 6.9 (2022): 33-39.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2022 Sridevi Shetty KS and Eric Mario Shailander A. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.