Gingival Depigmentation: A Surgery for Aesthetics

Abstract

Smile expresses a feeling of joy, success, sensuality, affection, and courtesy, and reveals self-confidence and kindness. The harmony of the smile is determined not only by the shape, the position, and the colour of the teeth, but also by the gingival tissues. Although melanin pigmentation of the gingiva is completely benign and does not present a medical problem, complaints of “black gums” are common, particularly in patients having a very high smile line. Thus, perio-aesthetic treatment modalities strive to achieve a harmonious inter-relationship of the pink with white, which is imperative of all treatment procedures. Excessive gingival pigmentation is a major aesthetic concern for many people complaining of dark gums as unaesthetic. Aesthetic gingival depigmentation can be performed in such patients with excellent results. A case is reported here in which a simple and effective surgical depigmentation was performed without the use of any sophisticated instruments or apparatus.

Keywords: Depigmentation; gingiva; melanin; physiologic pigmentation; scalpel surgery.