Introduction: Gingival depigmentation is a surgical procedure done to eliminate or reduce gingival hyperpigmentation. Various techniques are employed such as scalpel de-epithelization, gingivectomy, electrosurgery, use of chemical agents, cryosurgery, and lasers. The present study was conducted to assess the efficacy of laser and electrosurgical procedure in reducing gingival pigmentation in terms of pain, wound healing, and recurrence of melanin pigmentation. Methodology: A prospective study was conducted on 40 subjects affected by melanin pigmentation. Group I patients were treated with electrosurgery and Group II patients with diode laser procedure. Evaluation for pain was done intraoperatively, 24 hours and 7 days using VAS. Wound healing and recurrence of pigmentation was assessed at one month and three months. Results: No significant difference was noted between the two groups for pain assessment at 7 days with P > 0.001. Both electrosurgery and laser group showed significant differences between intraoperative time period to 24 hours and 24 hours to 7 days at P < 0.001 for pain. Conclusion: Esthetic demands necessitate cosmetic gingival depigmentation procedure. Laser diode photoablation proves to be an effective and reliable technique in achieving the same.

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ABSTRACT: AIM: The purpose of this study was to compare the wettability of three saliva substitute (Saleva, Wet Mouth and GC Dry Mouth) to four denture base materials (Heat cured, High Impact, Nylon and Cobalt – Chromium metal base). Materials and Methods: A total of 60 samples were made, 15 each of the four denture based materials used that are Heat cure PMMA, High impact PMMA, Nylon based denture base and cobalt chromium based denture base. Three commercially available saliva substitutes Saleva, Wet Mouth and GC Dry Mouth were taken to compare the wettability of the denture base materials with the help of Contact Angle Goniometer. Results: According to the result derived from this study, the nylon based denture base material was the most easily wettable denture base material while the greatest hysteresis value was offered by Wet Mouth saliva substitute. Conclusion: 1. It was concluded that the nylon based denture base material was most easily wettable denture base material and Wet Mouth offered the greatest hysteresis value. 2. It was also concluded that the combination of nylon based denture base material and Wet Mouth offered the greatest retention. Keywords: Contact angle, denture base material, retention, saliva substitute, wettability Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: None

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Review Article IntroductIonChronic periodontitis is an inflammatory disease which is characterized by a progressive gingival inflammatory response to bacterial dental plaque. It leads to clinical attachment loss, pocket formation, alveolar bone loss, increased tooth mobility, and finally the tooth loss. [1] This condition is characterized by increased secretion of inflammatory mediators such as cytokines and chemokines in the periodontal environment. [2] Saliva can also reveal the systemic health as well as the oral health to some extent. Whole saliva may also show the presence of periodontal disease and evidence indicates that the level of some cytokines increases in the saliva of patients with periodontitis. Assessment of the composition of saliva may provide valuable information about biochemical markers for the assessment of periodontal diseases. [1] Periostin is a hemophilic, secretory protein from the fasciclin I family. It influences cell matrix interactions, cell functions, tissue remodeling, wound repair, and type I collagen fibrillogenesis in periodontal ligament (PDL). It is induced by Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and modulates matrix-cell interactions relevant to connective tissue repair. [2] Periostin serves as a necessary protein for the integrity, development, and maturity of the tissue and it is believed to play a key role in balancing and regulating homeostasis of the PDL. Expression of periostin is induced by the tumor growth factor (TGF)-β and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP). It regulates collagen I fibrillogenesis in PDL and reinforces the cross-linking of collagen which improves the mechanical properties of connective tissue of PDL. [1] Periostin is an extracellular matrix (ECM) protein belonging to the fasciclin family. [3] It plays a supporting role in cell adhesion, proliferation, survival, and fibrillogenesis in all four components of the periodontium, namely, the PDL, bone, cementum, and gingiva. [13][14][15][16][17] HIstoryPeriostin was named in 1999 as a newly discovered factor for matricellular proteins. [6,18] Periostin is a 90 kDa glutamatecontaining secreted matricellular protein. It has 811 amino acids with EMI domain at one end of the chain followed by 4 FAS-1 domains and a carboxyl-terminal domain (Figure 1). There is a C-terminal sequence at the other end of the Background: Periostin is a matricellular protein highly expressed in periosteum, periodontal ligament and is essential for tissue integrity and maturation. It plays a role in collagen fibrillogenesis and is downregulated in periodontal disease. The goal of periodontal regenerative therapy is to predictably restore the tooth's supporting periodontal tissues and form a new connective tissue attachment of periodontal ligament (PDL) fibers and new alveolar bone. Periostin might play a pivotal part in regeneration of the PDL and alveolar bone following periodontal surgery. Recently, several studies have suggested that periostin may be an important regulator of periodontal tissue formation by promoting collagen fi...