Hyperpigmentation of gums is termed as a darker colour of gums beyond what is normally expected. Hyperpigmented gums can create an unsightly gum display which can make for an unpleasant smile and affect your confidence.
Gum depigmentation, also known sometimes as gum bleaching, is a cosmetic procedure to lighten your gum colour.
a) Excess production of pigments primarily melanin. This is usually only an aesthetic issue and not associated with any other medical problems.
b) Medical problems like genetic issues, hormonal problems, some medications, smoking, chronic lung infections and in some rare cases due to malignancies.
This is indicated for patients reporting with an esthetic concern due to excessively dark gums.
Your periodontist will first take a detailed medical history to determine the origin of the pigmentation.
If needed, some blood investigations and a biopsy may be necessary.
If all medical issues are ruled out, the problem, being an esthetic one, can be easily treated by depigmentation procedures.
Surgical and lasers are the two options widely used and practised at FMS Dental Hospitals.
Surgical depigmentation
– Local anesthesia is given to numb the gums intended to treat.
-The periodontist will, using a surgical blade, separate the superficial layer of gums from underlying soft tissues in order to remove the pigmented gums and encourage new outer layer of gums to be formed which will not have the pigment.
– The cutting is done with minimal pressure and a gentle hand.
– Once all bleeding is controlled, the treated sites may be covered with a dressing.
– Topical anaesthesia can suffice with use of lasers.
– The laser tip is activated and then used in contact with gums in continuous brushing strokes with feather light touch.
– This scraping of the outer layer of gums is done till desired thickness of gums has been split.
– The treated area will then be covered with a dressing and patients recalled after 1 week.
How do Lasers work?? Lasers work at different wavelengths which can be are taken up by components within gums like water and hemoglobin. This causes thermal interactions, which produce heat and provide energy for the laser to cut through tissue.
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– The dressing will be in place for upto 1 week.
– You will be prescribed painkillers for upto 3 days to take care of any pain/discomfort you may experience postoperatively.
– Avoid eating hot, spicy or hard foodstuffs during the initial healing period and restrict only to soft foods until the area heals.
– Application of an ice pack outside the mouth, on the same side of treatment can help in reducing any pain or swelling.
-Do not smoke
– Do not brush the treated site until the dressing is removed.
Routinely, your gums will heal with 7-14 days. Any discomfort can be managed with medications and resolved soon with abiding by the instructions given by your periodontist.
By and large, these procedures have an uneventful healing and generally display speedy recovery.
Repigmentation – One effect you should be aware of is the chance of reappearance of the pigment on gums. Generally, recurrence may be expected to appear after 1 year, but mostly appears in mild form and patchy distribution which may not be as displeasing to smile as it is without treatment. Recurrence is more delayed with lasers.
Gum depigmentation is a treatment of choice when esthetics is a concern and desired by the patients.
Lasers are safe, reliable, effective modality with superior esthetic result, minimal post treatment problems and lower recurrence rate.
Relapse of hyperpigmentation is a possibility and your periodontist will explain factors that can slow down the frequency of recurrence.
