Development in techniques for gingival depigmentation - An update

Dental esthetic needs of patients are increasing with a greater demand on pleasing look. This demand gets fulfilled not only by having healthy set of dentition but also esthetically improved gingival component. Gingival melanin pigmentation is one of the factors which determine the smile of an individual. Based on the available literature gingival melanin pigmentation can vary depending on whether it is physiological or pathological. Its esthetic importance depends on the skin complexion of the patient and is one of the most important factors for determining the treatment for gingival melanin pigmentation. It is necessary to select an appropriate technique for treating unaesthetic gingival melanin pigmentation of patients and the treatment should cause minimal discomfort and should be effective for a longer period of time. Treatment of gingival melanin pigmentation can be done using scalpel, chemical agents, abrasion, grafts, electro surgery, cryosurgery or lasers. Recent reports on treatment of gingival melanin pigmentation using cryosurgery and lasers show results in terms of ease of use, acceptance and patient comfort to be far superior to other techniques. This literature review is done to classify and explore the recent treatments and future procedures available for depigmentation.