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No matter how much we talk about PRF,” write the authors of a recent review,
https://ejdent.org/index.php/ejdent/article/view/363
we cannot do justice to its importance, as it has entered into almost all oral surgery and dental implant procedures, regardless of its other uses. We can call it a miracle in all its types. It is a simple, inexpensive and uncomplicated preparation method.
Indeed, it’s a “miracle” that we’ve used widely in our own dental practice for many years now due to its therapeutic, healing potential, especially in the realm of biological oral surgery.
In the words of a recent review of the science, platelet rich fibrin “is a second-generation platelet concentrate that is sourced from oneself, has fewer adverse effects, and is simple and safe to prepare.” Because it comes from you, the patient, PRF is 100% biocompatible, made from a small sample of your own blood that we spin in a special centrifuge to separate several important compounds:
- Platelets, which play a key role in the formation of blood clots.
- Fibrin, a protein also involved in clotting.
- White blood cells, which are part of your body’s immune response.
- Bone morphogenic proteins and other growth factors.
- Stem cells.
This can be done to create either a membrane that can be placed over any surgical site to encourage healing and regenerate tissues or an injectable form – iPRF – that can be used surgically or injected into specific sites to reduce pain, swelling, and infection, and boost recovery.
We use platelet rich fibrin in nearly all surgical procedures we do here at the Holistic Dental Center of New Jersey. That includes extractions – a procedure in which PRF can help prevent dry socket – bone grafts, and ceramic dental implants. It’s also something we use as part of the Chao Pinhole Technique for restoring gum tissue lost to recession.
Used in these ways, PRF helps speed up the healing process by creating a scaffold for new blood vessels to grow through. That network of vessels helps bring more oxygen and nutrients to the area, while the platelets release helpful proteins that tell your body to speed up tissue repair and regeneration. Not only is healing faster; there’s generally less post-op discomfort, as well.
And new studies continue to validate PRF’s restorative properties, even other research may expand its possibilities.
One 2023 study, for instance, reviewed literature on the antimicrobial effects of different types of PRF: PRF, iPRF, and two experimental variations, including one with silver, which has its own antimicrobial qualities. Sixteen studies were included, analyzing PRF against 16 types of oral, periodontal (gum), and endodontic (dental pulp) bacteria. “All types of PRF showed significant antimicrobial action,” the authors found, while “evolutions such as I-PRF, H-PRF, and agNP-PRF improve antimicrobial activity.”
Such enhanced variations could offer better infection control during extractions, periodontal procedures, and implant placement while still delivering PRF’s core regenerative benefits.
A more recent review looked at the evidence for treating common oral sores – canker sores, for instance, or lichen planus – with PRF. Twelve studies made the cut and included case reports, randomized controlled trials, animal studies, split mouth trials, and one retrospective study. In some cases, PRF was used; in others, iPRF. Either way,
Compared to control groups or conventional treatments, PRF generally demonstrated superior outcomes regarding faster healing, lesion size reduction, symptom relief, and lower recurrence rates.
Some studies also highlighted PRF’s ability to rebuild damaged tissue and tamp down inflammation.
Further down the road, iPRF could even be used to treat painful TMJ disorders, should the results of yet one more recent study hold up.
Sixty-eight people with TMJ pain took part in the study. Half got iPRF injections; half received placebo injections. The researchers then tracked everyone’s pain levels over the course of 24 weeks. They also tracked how well each participant could move their jaw and how the treatment affected their daily life.
Those who got iPRF reported much less pain than those who received the placebo. They could move their jaws better, too, and reported a higher quality of life. These improvements lasted through the duration of the study.
This study provides compelling evidence supporting the efficacy of I-PRF in mitigating TMJ pain. The significant improvements in pain intensity, jaw function, and PROs underscore the potential clinical utility of I-PRF in the management of TMJ disorders. These findings contribute to the growing body of literature supporting the use of PRP in regenerative medicine and open avenues for further research into optimizing treatment protocols and exploring long-term outcomes.
As excited as we are about new possibilities, though, we remain thrilled with the results we see today when we use PRF in our biological extractions, implants, bone grafts, and more, helping our patients heal better and faster by tapping into their own natural healing potential.
