Typical Costs of Gum Depigmentation
Gingival hyperpigmentation is the condition of having darkened gums. While this condition can affect anyone, it’s most common in people with darker skin and is caused by excess melanin that builds up in the gum tissue. The condition can also occur in people with certain systemic illnesses or people who take some types of medications, and it is also more common among people who smoke. Gingival hyperpigmentation isn’t a health concern, but it can be an aesthetic issue that leads to self-consciousness or insecurity about one’s appearance, interfering with comfort in smiling or laughing fully or speaking enthusiastically. The treatment used to lighten hyperpigmented gums is called laser gum depigmentation and is colloquially known as laser gum bleaching. This cosmetic dentistry treatment lightens dark gum tissues and stimulates the growth of pink gum tissue, providing a uniform, aesthetically pleasing appearance and improving the aesthetics of the smile.
Laser gum depigmentation minimizes the appearance of darkened areas of gingival tissue without invasive periodontal surgery techniques, providing multiple benefits and resulting in uniformly pink, healthy-looking gum tissue. The treatment is nearly painless, involving no blood and requiring no incisions or stitches, and can be completed in under an hour. The healing period is brief and risk of complications or infection are minimal. Gum depigmentation treatments are performed with a local anesthetic that numbs the area to minimize discomfort before applying lasers. These lasers remove the outermost layer of gum tissue, which grows back pink and vital. While the duration of treatment can be as brief as 20 minutes, ultimately, this will depend on the amount of tissue being treated and its levels of pigmentation. While many people are good candidates for gum depigmentation, the gum tissue must be healthy at the time of treatment, and any existing oral infection or gum disease must be addressed first. The treatment is also not recommended for patients with very thin gum tissue or prominent tooth roots, which could lead to excessive tooth sensitivity following treatment, and, when laser gum depigmentation is used to lighten gum tissue that has darkened due to smoking, smoking must be avoided for at least a week following treatment, if not forever.
While some treatments for more severe hyperpigmentation may require multiple visits, most laser gum bleaching can be completed in as few as one or two visits, with patients returning to normal activity immediately following the procedure. The standard cost for a laser gum depigmentation procedure ranges from $2,500 to around $4,000 per row of tissue, though many dentists offer package deals that allow the entire mouth to be treated for as little as $1,550 per arch. Because gum depigmentation is a cosmetic procedure, it is not covered by dental insurance, but many cosmetic dentists work with third-party financing companies or other budgeting platforms that help patients defer their out-of-pocket costs. If your goal is a more confident smile, laser gum depigmentation can help you on your way to this goal, and you and your dentist can work together to make your desired results affordable and accessible.