Treatment of gingival physiologic pigmentation in adolescents by liquid nitrogen cryosurgery: 24-month follow-up.

Although gingival pigmentation is physiologic in most cases, esthetic concerns regarding "black gums" are common among adolescents. Numerous procedures have been suggested to treat this problem. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of cryosurgery with liquid nitrogen for the removal of physiologic gingival pigmentation (PGP) in adolescents. Melanin pigmentation of the anterior segments in 15 patients was treated using liquid nitrogen. Standard digital photographs were taken preoperatively and at 3, 12, and 24 months postoperatively. Photographs were analyzed digitally and showed significant differences in gingival color between the preoperative and postoperative follow-ups. Cryosurgery successfully removed PGP in adolescents.