Comparison of Surgical Blade and Cryosurgery with Liquid Nitrogen Techniques in Treatment of Physiologic Gingival Pigmentation: Short Term Results

Statement of the Problem: Melanin pigmentation of the gingiva is a crucial esthetic problem. A variety of methods have been used for gingival depigmentation. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the results of two treatment modalities: scalpel technique and cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen in treatment of gingival pigmentation. Materials and Method: Twenty patients with chief complaint of gingival pigmentation participated in our study. 10 patients were treated with cryotherapy and remaining 10 participants were undergone the scalpel technique surgery. We evaluated acquiescence and comfort of the patients, degree of depigmentation, based on the area of pigmentation shown by gridlines option in Microsoft Paint software, and the presence or absence of gingival recession before and one month after treatment. Data was analyzed using Mann-Whitney and Chi-Square tests. A significance level of p≤ 0.05 was adopted. Results: Mean value and standard deviation of depigmentation for group A and group B was 96.17±2.51 and 95±2.48, respectively. The difference was not statistically significant (p= 0.225). There was no association between the treatment modality and the gingival recession (p= 0.303) or the treatment modality and the patient satisfaction (p= 0.346). No significant difference was found between gingival recession measures before and after the operation in the two treatment modalities. Conclusion: Surgical blade and cryosurgery with liquid nitrogen had no significant difference in treatment of physiologic gingival pigmentation. Both Techniques are acceptable in the treatment of gingival pigmentation.