This study aim to compare the clinical outcomes, the rate of repigmentation, and the patient perceptions after laser-assisted gingival depigmentation with diode 940 nm and Erbium, chromium-doped yttrium, scandium, gallium and garnet (Er,Cr:YSGG) 2780 nm. Two pigmentation index were used to compare between the treatment outcomes of using Diode laser or Er,Cr:YSGG.~The depigmentation procedure essentially involves ablation of epithelial layer of buccal gingiva containing melanin pigmentation.~Sixty healthy patients (22 males and 38 females, aged 21 to 43 years) who presented with a chief complaint of having dark-brown to black gingival hyperpigmentation between April 2015 and September 2018. Participants were randomly divided into 2 groups (30 patients each). Randomization was carried out using randomization table; by a computer-generated randomization list (SPSS v23.0) with allocation ratio 1:1.~All of the patients were selected according to the study inclusion and exclusion criteria.~Data collection was done by a dental specialist who was blinded about the provided treatment. Data collections included the clinical examination at baseline and follow up appointments. To achieve blinding, three calibrated external experts, blinded to the provided treatment classified the degree of gingival pigments and gingival topography according oral pigmentation index (DOPI) and melanin pigmentation index.~The periodontal surgery was performed by a periodontist specialised in laser dentistry. The periodontist did not interfere with the treatment option.~Descriptive statistics and statistical analysis was done by an external expert using SPSS Statistics software(SPSS v23.0) . Nonparametric tests, Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare between the two groups according the time intervals.~The patients who did not show in all the study follow up's appointments were dropped from the data analysis.~Patients were asked to evaluate the procedure by using a self-administered questionnaire. The patients were recalled after 1 week, 1 month, 12 months and 24 months.
This randomized clinical trial evaluated the recurrence rates of physiological gingival pigments during 24 months follow-up and the patient perceptions after the ablative depigmentation using two laser wavelengths; Diode 940 nm and Er,Cr:YSGG 2780 nm.