Platelet Rich Plasma and Platelet Rich Fibrin

Platelet rich plasma (PRP) and Platelet rich fibrin (PRF) are by-products of blood (plasma) that is rich in platelets. Platelets are blood cells that attract healing cells and produce growth factors that are essential for healing. 

Why all the excitement about PRP?

PRP/PRF permits the body to take advantage of the normal healing pathways at a greatly accelerated rate. During the healing process, the body rushes many cells and cell-types to the wound in order to initiate the healing process. One of those cell types is platelets. Platelets perform many functions, including formation of a blood clot and release of growth factors (GF) into the wound. These growth factors; platelet derived growth factors (PDGF), transforming growth factor beta (TGF), and insulin-like growth factor (ILGF), function to assist the body in repairing itself by stimulating stem cells to regenerate new tissue. The more growth factors released and sequestered into the wound, the more stem cells are stimulated to produce new tissue. Thus, PRP permits the body to heal faster and more efficiently.

A subfamily of TGF, is bone morphogenic protein (BMP). BMP has been shown to induce the formation of new bone. This is of great significance to the surgeon who places dental implants. By adding PRP, and BMP, to the implant site with bone substitute particles, the implant surgeon can now grow bone more predictably and faster than ever before.

PRP/PRF Have Many Clinical Applications

They can be used to aid bone grafting for dental implants. This includes onlay grafts, sinus lift procedures, and  ridge augmentation . It can also assist in repair of bone defects created by removal of teeth.