KEY ATTRIBUTES
This procedure included 2 extensive soft-tissue procedures with no injected anesthesia, minimal bleeding, and fast healing.
CASE SUMMARY
A 13-year-old patient was originally scheduled for a consult regarding a single-tooth gingivectomy on tooth No. 7 due to puberty/hormone-induced gingival hyperplasia. The patient clearly needed more than a one-tooth gingivectomy. The patient and her mom then asked about lightening her dark gingiva and was ultimately treated with a 6-tooth gingivectomy and gingival depigmentation. The clinical objective was to remove the hypertrophic tissue, further expose the clinical crowns, and remove melanin for a more aesthetically pleasing smile. Total procedure time from start to finish was no more than 20 minutes.
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| Pre-op | Immediate post-op | Ten-day post-op |
TECHNIQUE USING SOLEA
Only a topical anesthetic was used to complete both the gingivectomy and the depigmentation. The gingiva was probed to determine how much excess tissue could be removed. First, the gingivectomy was performed by ablating the overgrown tissue, with the mist on to keep the site clear. The tissue was sculpted with the laser achieving ideal gingival margins. Next, the areas of excessive pigmentation were lased, removing layers of epithelium until the melanin washed out. No settings needed to be changed due to the simplicity of the user interface; everything was controlled by applying pressure on the variable speed foot pedal. Both procedures were completed in approximately 20 minutes.
BENEFITS OF USING SOLEA
With traditional tools (ie, a scalpel), this procedure would have taken more than an hour to complete compared to a mere 20 minutes using Solea. Since only topical anesthetic was needed, time-savings were substantial without the need to inject the patient and then wait for her to become numb. Moreover, because the scalpel was eliminated, there was minimal bleeding, minimal postoperative discomfort, and a much faster healing process. In addition, the depigmentation portion would not have been possible using traditional instruments. Solea’s speed, versatility, and ease of use enabled the completion of both the 6-tooth gingivectomy and depigmentation in the same appointment, which was originally scheduled for consultation. The patient and her mom were thrilled not to have to return to have the procedure scheduled for another day.
For more information, call (844) GO-SOLEA or visit convergentdental.com.
