What is Gum Depigmentation?
Gum depigmentation is a cosmetic dental procedure designed to remove dark spots or patches on the gums. The goal of the procedure is to create a more aesthetically pleasing gum line. This procedure is commonly sought by people who feel self-conscious about the color of their gums when they smile. If you are considering gum depigmentation to address dark spots or patches in your gumline, read on to learn more about the procedure.
What causes dark gums?
Before understanding the gum depigmentation procedure itself, it’s essential to know what causes gum pigmentation in the first place. Dark spots or patches on the gums are generally harmless and don’t affect oral health but they can be a source of cosmetic concern for many people.
The color of your gums is primarily determined by the amount of melanin in the gum tissue, like the color of your skin, hair, and eyes. Some people naturally have more melanin in their gums, which leads to darker gums. This condition is more common in people with darker skin tones but can occur in anyone. Although melanin is the most common reason for dark gums there are other factors that can influence the pigmentation of gums as well, which include:
- Using Tobacco: Smoking or chewing tobacco can lead to the buildup of nicotine and tar in the gums. This can cause them to darken.
- Using Certain Medications: Some medications, like anti-malarial drugs, can cause gum discoloration as a side effect.
- Genetics: Some people are genetically predisposed to have darker gums than others.
What is Gum Depigmentation?
A gum depigmentation procedure can offer a solution to dark or patchy gums, which will improve both appearance and confidence. There are two primary methods used for this procedure, both with the goal of removing the excess pigment from the gum tissue.
- Laser Gum Depigmentation: One of the most popular and effective methods for gum depigmentation is laser therapy. In this procedure, a laser is used to target and break down the pigment in the gum tissue. The laser effectively removes the darkened tissue, revealing the lighter tissue underneath. This type of procedure is minimally invasive. It typically requires only local anesthesia to complete. The benefits of laser depigmentation are that it is precise, has a quick recovery time, and generally causes little to no discomfort during or after the procedure.
- Surgical Gum Depigmentation: In some cases, a surgical approach may be used, if the dentist thinks that laser depigmentation would not work. This type of gum depigmentation procedure involves removing the darkened gum tissue using dental instruments like a scalpel. After the dark tissue is removed, the gums are sutured back into place. This method is more invasive than laser depigmentation. The recovery time for surgical gum depigmentation is longer as well. There is also more discomfort compared to laser treatment. It is an effective procedure however, with the benefit of working on situations where laser depigmentation would not work.
What does this mean for me?
If you are a candidate for gum depigmentation, speak with your dentist today. They will be able to assess your needs and make recommendations based on your unique circumstances. They will also be able to answer any questions you might have based on your specific context.