Treatment of Gingival Physiologic Pigmentation in Adolescent Using Cryosurgery Technique with Liquid Nitrogen: One Year Follow up

Nowadays esthetics has become a significant aspect in dentistry. Melanin deposition in gingiva is called physiologic pigmentation. Although it does not present a medical concern, the color of gingiva plays an important role in overall oral esthetics, particularly during speech and smiling. Thus, many patients, particularly adolescents seek treatment for their discolored gums. For treatment of this pigmentation, numerous procedures have been suggested, e.g. graft surgery, gingivectomy, electrosurgery, diamond bur abrasion, laser therapy, and cryosurgery and so on. The aim of this study was one year follow up of cryosurgery treatment of physiologic pigmentation of gingiva in adolescents with liquid nitrogen. This case series study, approved by ethical committee of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, was performed on 15 patients (aged 11-14 years) with gingival physiologic pigmentation. Their black gums of anterior segments of both mandible and maxilla were treated using a liquid nitrogen-cooled cotton swab for 2 times within 2 weeks. Standard high quality oral images were taken at base line and after one, three and twelve months. The darkness and pigmented surface area of the images were compared. Friedman and Wilcoxon tests were used for statistical analysis. Statistical analysis showed a significant reduction in both pigmented surface area and darkness of gingiva after cryosurgery (P)