Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF)
Advanced Healing with Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF)
PRF is a safe and effective treatment option for many dental procedures, helping to enhance the healing process and promote optimal results.
PRF, or Platelet-Rich Fibrin, is a concentration of growth factors and cells collected from your own blood. This natural regenerative strategy uses a standard blood draw, which is then processed in a special centrifuge to create a concentrated form of natural growth factors. With no chemical additives, PRF forms a ‘super’ blood clot with elevated concentrations of regenerative cells and growth factors, capable of stimulating wound healing for up to seven days.
Platelet concentrates have been a part of medical treatment for over three decades, thanks to their ability to quickly secrete growth factors. As a regenerative agent derived from whole natural blood, they have become increasingly popular in various medical fields for their ability to stimulate tissue regeneration.
The idea of using concentrated platelets in surgical sites to promote local wound healing was first proposed many years ago. Today, the benefits of PRF as a potent wound-healing modality have been scientifically proven.
PRF has the ability to:
- Speed up the revascularization of tissues, which is the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis)
- Act as a powerful recruitment agent for various cells, including stem cells (chemotaxis)
- Promptly multiply different types of cells found in the human body (proliferation)
Dental Applications of PRF
PRF is a 100 percent natural healing process that can be used in numerous dental procedures. The most common uses here at Apex Dental are:
Wisdom Tooth Extraction
PRF plugs are placed in the sockets immediately after extraction. This greatly enhances the body’s natural ability to heal. There is less inflammation, therefore less need for painkillers and antibiotics. There’s also a lower chance of dry sockets.
Implant Placements
Depending on the situation, PRF can be used in conjunction with bone graft material at the time of extraction. This allows a faster healing time with less bone loss. During the actual placement of the implant, liquid PRF and a PRF membrane are used to help osseointegration and help the soft tissue heal around the new implant.
Bone Grafting
As mentioned above, anytime Dr. Brad needs to utilize bone grafting, PRF is recommended to help speed up the healing process. Having a concentration of leukocytes (white blood cells) integrated with the bone graft material greatly increases the body’s ability to heal and integrate.
Sinus Grafting
Using a PRF membrane in conjunction with traditional membrane material during a sinus lift is important with the thin, soft tissue around the sinus. Faster healing times and less inflammation is important in these areas.
Soft Tissue Healing
PRF is also used in procedures such as regular tooth extractions, ridge augmentation, tori removal, or any procedure where the gums are disturbed. Having concentrated PRF helps blood flow into the area, reduces inflammation, and reduces healing times.
How is PRF Created?
PRF creation begins with a quick blood draw. Our team at Apex Dental collects four to six vials of blood in about 30 seconds, then places them in our PRF centrifuge. Depending on the intended use, the blood is spun for five to eight minutes, separating it into three layers: platelet-poor plasma, platelet-rich fibrin, and red blood cells.
We then process the PRF for various uses:
This is our main use. It can be put around implants for soft-tissue healing, cut up and mixed in with bone graft material (sticky bone), or used in conjunction with traditional membranes for faster healing. It can also be made into “plugs” to put into extraction sites. This has been shown to greatly reduce the need for pain killers, antibiotics, and also reduces the chance for “dry sockets.”
This can be used for periodontal pockets, mixing in with bone grafts, placed in extraction pockets or placed anywhere where extra healing is needed.
This is similar to Liquid PRF, but is spun longer to further concentrate the PRF.
Advantages of PRF in Dentistry
Dr. Brad had seen the use of PRP (platelet-rich plasma) in dentistry for years but wasn’t convinced of its effectiveness in dentistry. While attending a surgical course, the instructors were using PRF while performing a sinus lift and were singing its praises on how well it helps to heal. Dr. Brad then did a deep dive into the best protocols and uses for his procedures at Apex Dental. During his research, it was clear of the three main advantages of using PRF in dentistry.
Reduced Inflammation and Pain
These go hand in hand, if you can reduce inflammation, your pain will likely be reduced. The growth factors in PRF have been shown to reduce pain and decrease inflammation in dental procedures.
Increased Bone Growth and Regeneration
PRF has also been shown to significantly increase bone growth, bone density, and bone regeneration. Its main process for doing this is by increasing growth factors and blood supply to the healing bone. Reducing bone loss around implants during the first six months of healing is vital to the long-term success of dental procedures.
An excerpt from: ‘Platelet-rich fibrin application in dentistry: a literature review’
“Growth factors stimulate and attract stem cells to the site of injury, promoting cell mitosis and inducing angiogenesis and osteogenesis [13]. These growth factors, after activation from the platelets trapped within fibrin matrix, have demonstrated stimulating a mitogenic response of periosteum cells to achieve bone healing [14]. Cytokines are also released from the platelets, being responsible in modulating platelet activation and the proliferation and differentiation of leukocytes, playing an important role in immunology, specifically, in inflammation mechanism [13].”
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