Laser treatment of atypical oral pigmentation. A case report

A 46-year-old female Caucasian patient presented with severe black pigmentation of the maxillary attached gingiva. The discoloration extended from tooth #2 to tooth #15 and was noted only on the buccal aspect of the arch. The patient reported that her gingival tissues appeared normal until age 22, at which time her first child was born. Cosmetic considerations prompted by this child's impending marriage caused the patient to seek treatment. It was important to determine the cause of the pigmentation so that we would be reasonably assured that it would not recur. A CO2 laser was used to remove the pigmented tissue in such a manner that the postoperative period was both painless and rapid.