ArticleCureus2026
Evaluation of the Effect of Topical 0.2% Hyaluronic Acid Gel on Postoperative Pain and Wound Healing Following Gingival Depigmentation: A Prospective Clinical Study.
Article in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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6 authors.
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Abstract
Introduction Gingival hyperpigmentation is a common esthetic concern that may negatively affect the appearance of the smile and patient confidence. Gingival depigmentation procedures often result in postoperative discomfort and delayed healing due to the exposed connective tissue wound surface. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of topical application of 0.2% hyaluronic acid gel on postoperative pain and wound healing following gingival depigmentation surgery. Materials and methods This prospective clinical study included 25 systemically healthy individuals with physiologic gingival hyperpigmentation who underwent gingival depigmentation using the conventional scalpel technique. Following the surgical procedure, topical 0.2% hyaluronic acid gel was applied to the surgical site along with periodontal dressing placement. Postoperative pain was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) on days 1, 3, 7, and 14, whereas wound healing was evaluated using the healing index on days 3, 7, 14, and 21. Statistical analysis was performed using the Friedman test followed by post hoc analysis with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for ordinal data. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The median postoperative pain score progressively decreased from 4 (interquartile range (IQR): 3-5) on day 1 to 2 (IQR: 1-3) on day 3, 1 (IQR: 0-2) on day 7, and 0 (IQR: 0-0) on day 14. Friedman test analysis demonstrated a statistically significant difference in wound healing scores across the postoperative follow-up period (χ² = 67.54, p < 0.001). Wound healing scores showed continuous improvement during follow-up, increasing from a median score of 3 (IQR: 3-4) on day 3 to 7 (IQR: 6-7) on day 21. The improvement in the healing scores was statistically significant (χ² = 67.54, p < 0.001). Post hoc analysis further revealed that pain scores showed a significant reduction across follow-up periods, with the greatest decrease observed between day 1 and day 14 (p < 0.001). Wound healing scores improved significantly over time, particularly from day 1 to later follow-up visits and between day 3 and day 14/21 (all p ≤ 0.001), while changes between the final assessment intervals were not statistically significant after Bonferroni correction. Conclusion Topical application of 0.2% hyaluronic acid gel following gingival depigmentation was associated with favorable postoperative healing outcomes and an overall reduction in pain scores during the healing period. Hyaluronic acid appears to be a safe and clinically useful adjunct in the postoperative management of gingival depigmentation procedures. Further controlled studies are warranted to confirm its effectiveness in improving patient comfort and wound healing.
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