How Long Does Gum Lightening Last?
If you’re considering gum lightening treatment, you probably have a lot of questions about your options and about the details of each type of procedure. Consulting with a dental professional is the best way to get official answers, but it’s helpful to have some basic information while you consider your options and prepare to meet with a professional. Here, we will address some common questions, including how long the positive effects of gum lightening can be expected to last.
What Causes Gum Hyperpigmentation?
Dark gums, also known as gum hyperpigmentation or gingival hyperpigmentation, can occur for a variety of reasons. Some people, including people with naturally darker skin, are simply born with more melanin, which contributes to darker gums, while other people find that their gums have darkened or developed dark spots over time. While the underlying cause of dark gums could require medical attention, the symptom itself isn’t a cause for medical concern. However, many people are bothered by the appearance of their own discolored gums. In these cases, gum lightening can help brighten the smile and increase patient confidence.
Are Gum Lightening Procedures Painful?
Gum lightening treatments are minimally invasive, causing very little discomfort. Dentists use local anesthetic to numb the treatment area beforehand, and you should expect some tenderness following any type of gum lightening procedure. When more of the gum tissue needs to be removed or modified, the area of tenderness increases in kind, though even then, patients can usually resume eating a normal diet within just a few days. It can take 2-4 weeks for the gums to fully heal, depending on the extent and depth of the hyperpigmentation.
How Long Does Gum Lightening Last?
Depending on the type of treatment, the results of gum lightening can last 20 years or more, sometimes even lasting a lifetime, though the cause and extent of hyperpigmentation play a role in this. For example, if your gums grew darkened or discolored because of smoking or tobacco use, resuming these habits after gum lightening treatment can cause the gums to grow darker again. Likewise, when the gums have darkened because of a systemic medical condition, this condition should be managed to ensure the longevity of the procedure’s results. Some other factors, including certain genetic factors, could affect the long-term outcomes of gum lightening, and your dentist will review this with you when you discuss your treatment outcomes to help you understand what to expect.
Is Laser Gum Depigmentation a Good Investment?
While gum hyperpigmentation could signal a larger concern, perhaps pointing to the need to quit smoking, improve the oral hygiene, or manage a systemic condition, the condition can also occur naturally. If you’re born with dark gums, the choice to lighten or not lighten them is entirely yours and will depend on whether the appearance of your gums bothers you. If you developed dark gums over time, it’s important to investigate, and address, the cause, though it is also up to you to choose whether to lighten your gums. When a person is bothered by the appearance of their dark gums, which could appear purple, brown, or dark gray, laser gum depigmentation is a reliable, effective method of permanently lightening the gums and improving the appearance and brightness of the smile. A consultation with a periodontal professional can help you determine whether laser gum depigmentation is a good investment for you, so call to set up an appointment today if you’re bothered by your discolored gums.