Effectiveness of Photobiomodulation with and without Hyaluronic Acid Gel on Gingival Depigmentation: A Randomized Control Clinical Trial.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of low-level laser therapy and hyaluronic gel in the management of gingival hyperpigmentation.

Materials and methods: Sixty patients willing to receive treatment for gingival depigmentation were grouped into the following three groups: group I - laser-assisted gingival depigmentation (n = 20); group II - low-level laser-assisted gingival depigmentation (n = 20); and group III - low level laser-assisted gingival depigmentation with hyaluronic acid (n = 20). The clinical effectiveness of the depigmentation procedure as per patient's opinion of mean smile perception changes was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) scoring line (0-10 cm) at preoperative (T0), on 7th day (T1) and 21st day (T2) with the question "How do you classify your smile?" with a rating from 0 - not attractive to 10 - completely attractive. Data were compiled in a Microsoft Office Excel worksheet and subjected to statistical analysis. The Mann-Whitney U test and Friedman test was done for inter- and intragroup comparison, respectively. Statistical significance was set at p-value < 0.05.

Results: In group I, the VAS scores at baseline (T0), T1, and T2 were 7.60, 5.00, and 3.4, respectively, while in group II, the VAS scores at T0, T1, and T2 were 8.80, 4.40, and 3.5, respectively. The VAS scores in group III were 7.90, 1.0, and 0.4 at T0, T1, and T2, respectively. The smile perception changes (VAS scores) were lesser in group III, followed by group II and group I at T0, T1, and T2 intervals. The differences were statistically significant.

Conclusion: Photobiomodulation combined with hyaluronic gel topical application can produce superior results with very minimal recurrence. This noninvasive modality can be an effective alternative to invasive surgical depigmentation procedures.

Clinical significance: Gingival depigmentation is a common esthetic procedure. Laser-assisted depigmentation with hyaluronic acid can overcome the tissue necrosis caused by heat produced by laser and hastens healing. Photobiomodulation with hyaluronic acid can be a better alternative to invasive surgical depigmentation procedures. How to cite this article: Narayanan K, Vinayagam R, Balaji A, et al. Effectiveness of Photobiomodulation with and without Hyaluronic Acid Gel on Gingival Depigmentation: A Randomized Control Clinical Trial. J Contemp Dent Pract 2025;26(2):127-131.