Gingival depigmentation using two different approaches – Case reports

Gingival hyperpigmentation is a major esthetic concern among young individuals. Various treatment approaches for depigmentation include scalpel, burs, lasers, etc., The present case report illustrates depigmentation using a laser and a scalpel with 180 days of follow-up. A 24-year-old female patient and a 26-year-old female patient came to the Department of Periodontology with the chief complaint of dark colored gingiva and poor esthetics in the anterior maxillary and mandibular region. A diode laser was used for depigmentation under local anesthesia in one patient, and other patient has undergone depigmentation using a scalpel. Patients were re-evaluated after 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months; the gingiva was without any repigmentation and healthy in both cases. We can conclude that hyperpigmented gingiva can be treated using a laser or a scalpel, yielding good results. A diode laser is less invasive and less painful to the patient compared to the scalpel, but the scalpel method presented more satisfactory results.