Gum depigmentation or gum bleaching is a treatment approach for the elimination of hyperpigmentation.
In cosmetic dentistry, the technique is quite helpful in removing the patches and black spots from the gum. The chemicals like melanin, carotene and oxyhaemoglobin play an important role in determining the normal colour of the oral mucosa. Over secretion or deposition of melanin pigments can cause discolouration in the gingiva. The higher secretion of melanin pigments causes no harm to the mucosa but it can low down the self-confidence of persons who are more concerned with aesthetic beauty. The treatment of gum depigmentation is possible with the help of some medical technique that can vaporize the top layer of the gum tissue and surround it with glossy appearing tissues.
Causes of gum hyperpigmentation:
The cause of gum hyperpigmentation includes both systemic and genetic factors. Some of the common systemic factors that are responsible for improving melanin secretion are malignant melanoma, hemochromatosis, Albright’s syndrome, racial pigmentation and endocrine disturbance. Other factors like smoking and prolonged use of tricyclic antidepressants and antimalarial drugs are also responsible for the reflection of hyperpigmentation of gums.
Patient criteria for treatment:
Normal patients with no prior record of oral infection are most likely to take part in gum depigmentation therapy. But patients who have already been involved in some sort of periodontal treatment can participate and take treatment under a certain set of conditions. The surgery for gum depigmentation can not be suitable for patients with oral disease, thin gum roots or root canal disease because it can improve the chances of infection upon recurring removal of tissue. So, patients with healthy darken gums are eligible for risk-free treatment for gum depigmentation.
Treatment modalities for gum depigmentation:
There are various surgical and non-surgical methods for the treatment of gum depigmentation. Modern therapy techniques hold the ability to provide painless treatment to the patient. Some of the most common therapy includes the following:
Electrosurgery: It is the most accurate and advanced technique for the treatment that needs expert hands for depigmentation. In the method, repeated application of heat and electric current is applied to the gum to destruct the tissue. At the same time, quick recovery of the damaged tissue is done using an advanced scalpel technique. During the treatment process the contact between the bone and the teeth to avoid damaging the blood vessels.
Surgical method: It is the most widely used technique where the upper layer of the epithelium is surgically covered with the help of connective tissue. It took a few days for the connective tissue to heal across the gum layer and provide a glossy appearance to unhide the darkened gum tissues.
Bur abrasion: It is a non-aggressive method that does not require sophisticated equipment for the treatment. The surgeon uses a handpiece and applies pressure along the gum tissue with a controlled motion to remove the darkening gum pigments. It is among the traditional method of surgery to get rid of gum depigmentation.
Gingival graft: It refers to grafting tissue in the affected areas from another tissue site of the other healthy and glossy gum cells. The patient must have a donor site to graft a similar type of tissue above the dark pigmented part using a surgical approach.