Healing after gingivectomy by electrosurgery & periodontal knives

The present study was conducted in order to compare gingivectomy with electrosurgery & conventional knives. Twenty patients who visited the department of Periodontics & Implantology at D.J. College of Dental Sciences & Research, Modinagar with gingival enlargement participated in this study, of which 7 were males and 13 females. A total of twenty sites were selected for the study. The patient's sites were randomly divided into two. The parameters assessed included histopathological examination, cytological smear, gingival crevicular fluid, visual analog scale score, colour, contour, consistency, plaque index and gingival index. Follow up measurements were carried out at 1,2 and 3 weeks post surgery and all the parameters were re-assessed. On comparison, gingivectomy with both electrosurgery & conventional knives showed no definite difference in the clinical parameters. No statistically significant difference was seen. However hemostasis is better with gingivectomy with electrosurgery as compared with conventional knives. But additional studies should be undertaken to obtain more clinical evidence for regular use of electrosurgery on a long term basis.