Gingival hyperpigmentation is a very common feature these days. The important pigment in gingiva is melanin, which is chiefly present in basal and supra basal layers of epithelium. Sometimes, these pigments spoil the dento-facial esthetics of the individual. . The present study was conducted on 12 volunteers, 8 males and 4 females in the age group of 16-26 years, having dark pigmentation on the anterior segment of gingiva, either in maxillary or mandibular area. A newly designed index was used for the systematic recording of gingival pigmentation. Pretreatment score of melanin pigmentation was compared with the post-treatment score at different time intervals. As compared to pretreatment melanin score there was a marked reduction in the mean gingival pigmentation score. The results of the present study suggest that CO2 laser irradiation is an effective modality for the treatment of local gingival hyper pigmentation.
