Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF)

Platelet Rich Fibrin or PRF is a by-product of blood that is exceptionally rich in platelets. PRF has long been used in hospitals to accelerate the body’s own healing process, but it is only fairly recently that advances in technology have allowed this same technique to be used in the dental office.

The blood platelets perform several essential functions in the body, including blood clot formation and the release of growth factors that help to heal wounds. These growth factors stimulate the stem cells to produce new host tissue as quickly as possible, which is why platelet rich fibrin is so effective in the post-treatment healing process.

There are several ways in which PRF can be used in clinical dentistry:

Bone Grafting For Implants – This includes closure of a cleft lip and cleft palate deformities, sinus lifts, ridge augmentation, and both inlay and onlay grafts.

Bone Repair – PRF can be used in facial trauma reconstruction, repairing of defects due to tooth removal, or the removal of growths and cysts.

Fistula Repair – This includes the repair of fistulas between the mouth and the sinus cavity.

Reasons for platelet rich fibrin treatment

Platelet rich fibrin application is now widely used to expedite the post-procedure healing process and is completely safe. Since the blood used will come from the patient’s own body, disease transmission is not a factor. Almost all patients report a much greater degree of comfort immediately after their procedure. There are also several more distinct advantages of PRF:

• Lower Infection Risk – PRF is smeared thickly on the wound after the procedure by the dentist and actually seals the wound away from infectious agents, lowering the risk of problems.
• Accelerated Healing – The saturation of the wound with PRF helps increase tissue synthesis due to its growth factors, and this in turn results in faster tissue regeneration. Speedier healing decreases the risk of later infections, complications, and discomfort.
• Safety and Convenience – Disease transmission is non-issue since the blood is harvested from the patient’s own blood supply. The amount of blood needed is small and can be collected during a routine outpatient procedure.

What does platelet rich fibrin treatment involve?

Dr. Dean will assess if you’re a candidate for PRF treatment. A small (about 2 oz) sample of your blood will be collected during a scheduled outpatient treatment. The blood will be placed into a centrifuge to separate the plasma from the red blood cells.

Immediately after suturing the wound, Dr. Dean will apply the PRF to the surgical area in a high concentration. This will expedite your healing and decrease the amount of discomfort following the surgery. Dr. Dean will provide aftercare instructions pertaining to the surgery and a prescription for pain medication as required.

If you have any questions about treatment with platelet rich fibrin or would like to find out if you are a candidate and can benefit from this treatment, please contact our office today to schedule an appointment.