``Chemical'' Analysis of the Intact Skin by Reflectance Spectrophotometry

Duration of reappearance of gingival melanin pigmentation after surgical removal - A clinical study

“…The most frequent cause of gingival pigmentation is melanin, though other pigments, such as carotene, oxyhemoglobin and reduced hemoglobin, which contribute to the normal color of the integument, are also found in the masticatory mucosa. [2] Melanin is the fundamental pigment that colors the tissues. It appears as early as 3 hours after birth in the oral tissues and in some cases is the only sign of pigmentation on the body.…”

Gingival Depigmentation by Erbium: YAG Laser: Clinical Observations and Patient Responses

“…Melanin, carotene, reduced hemoglobin, and oxyhemoglobin are the main pigments contributing to the normal color of the oral mucosa. 1,2 However, melanin pigmentation of the oral mucosa has both diagnostic and anthropologic significance. [3][4][5] The gingivae are the most frequently pigmented intraoral tissues 2 and contrary to general opinion gingival pigmentation is not confined to the black population.…”

Spontaneous Pigmentation of Non‐Pigmented Palatal Tissue After Periodontal Surgery

“…The normal color of the oral mucosa is determined by many factors, the most important of which are the number and size of blood vessels, oxygenation of blood, epithelial thickness, degree of keratinization, and the amount of pigments in the tissue 1 . A few pigments, such as melanin, carotene, reduced hemoglobin, and oxyhemoglobin, contribute to its normal color, 2,3 with melanin pigmentation having the greatest significance 4‐6 . Although pigmentation may be observed in any location, the gingiva is the most commonly affected site followed by the buccal mucosa, lips, palate, and tongue 2,4‐6 …”