Management of physiological hyperpigmentation of oral mucosa by cryosurgical treatment: a case report.

Melanin hyperpigmentation is the result of melanin granules. "Black gums" may cause esthetic problems. Different treatment modalities have been used with the aim of removing pigmentations for esthetic reasons, all of which have some advantages and disadvantages. Recurrent lesions are the most important concept in all of these treatments. Cryotherapy is a method of tissue destruction by rapid freezing. It is an atraumatic, cost-effective and simple method for treating oral pigmentation. This report presents the effects of cryotherapy on physiologic pigmentations of oral mucosa in a 9-year-old boy. In this case no recurrent lesions were observed after 12 months.